Display of notifications to members of a gaming group

ABSTRACT

Methods for providing notification during an online casino game is provided. One method includes detecting a first gameplay session of the online casino game, the first gameplay session associated with a first user. The method then detects a second gameplay session of the online casino game. The second gameplay session is associated with a second user, and at least part of the second gameplay session occurring simultaneously with the first gameplay session. The method then determines whether the first user and the second user are members of a common group. If so, then the method displays a message to the first user during the first gameplay session. The message to the first user identifying the second user. The methods provided herein provide for social interaction during online game play and social friend interactions that facilitate or advance game play in an online environment.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/283,691 filed Oct. 28, 2011, entitled “Method and Apparatus forLinked Play Gaming With Combined Outcomes and Shared Indicia, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/675,144 filed Feb.15, 2007, entitled “Method and Apparatus For Linked Play Gaming WithCombined Outcomes And Shared Indicia” and issued Nov. 1, 2011 as U.S.Pat. No. 8,047,909, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/414,934, filed Apr. 15, 2003, published as U.S. PatentPublication No. 2003/0224852 and now abandoned, which claims priority toU.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/374,342, filed Apr. 19, 2002,entitled “Gaming Device Methods And Apparatus Employing CombinationPlay”.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/675,144 is also acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/254,831,filed Sep. 25, 2002 and now abandoned, entitled “Method and Apparatusfor Linked Play Gaming”, which claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 60/324,572, filed Sep. 25, 2001, entitled “LinkedPlay”.

Each of the above-referenced applications is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/675,144 also is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/869,975,filed Jun. 17, 2004, and now abandoned in the name of Walker et al.,entitled “System and Method for Facilitating Casino Team Play”, whichis:

(i) a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/190,722, filedJul. 5, 2002 and now abandoned in the name of Walker et al., entitled“System and Method for Facilitating Casino Team Play”, which is

a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/793,020, filedFeb. 26, 2001 in the name of Walker et al., entitled “System and Methodfor Facilitating Casino Team Play” and issued Jan. 7, 2003 as U.S. Pat.No. 6,503,146 B2, which is

a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/152,402, filedSep. 14, 1998 in the name of Walker et al., entitled “System and Methodfor Facilitating Casino Team Play” and issued Mar. 27, 2001 as U.S. Pat.No. 6,206,782 B1; and

(ii) a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/811,583, filed Mar. 29, 2004 in the name of Walker et al. and issuedas U.S. Pat. No. 7,364,510 on Apr. 29, 2008 and entitled “Apparatus andMethod for Facilitating Team Play of Slot Machines”, which is

a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/067,576,filed Feb. 6, 2002 in the name of Walker et al. and entitled “Apparatusand Method For Facilitating Team Play of Slot Machines”, and issued asU.S. Pat. No. 6,712,699 on Mar. 30, 2004, which is

a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/590,021,filed Jun. 8, 2000 in the name of Walker et al. and entitled “Method andApparatus for Team Play of Slot Machines”, and issued as U.S. Pat. No.6,361,441 on Mar. 26, 2002, which is

a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/052,835, filedMar. 31, 1998 in the name of Walker et al. and entitled “Method andApparatus for Team Play of Slot Machines”, and issued as U.S. Pat. No.6,142,872 on Nov. 7, 2000.

Each of the above-referenced applications is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/680,969 filed Mar. 1, 2007 and now abandoned, entitled “Method andApparatus for Linked Play Gaming With Combined Outcomes And SharedIndicia”.

The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/426,700 filed Jun. 27, 2006 and now abandoned, entitled “Method andApparatus for Linked Play Gaming With Combined Outcomes And SharedIndicia”.

The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/426,718, filed Jun. 27, 2006 and now abandoned, entitled “Method andApparatus for Linked Play Gaming With Combined Outcomes and SharedIndicia”.

The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/426,724, filed Jun. 27, 2006 and now abandoned, entitled “Method andApparatus for Linked Play Gaming With Combined Outcomes and SharedIndicia”.

The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.08/775,388, filed Dec. 30, 1996, entitled “Method and System forAdapting Gaming Devices To Playing Preferences,” and issued as U.S. Pat.No. 6,110,041 on Aug. 29, 2000.

The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/481,204, filed Jan. 11, 2000, entitled “Method and System forAdapting Gaming Devices To Playing Preferences,” and issued as U.S. Pat.No. 6,293,866 B1 on Sep. 25, 2001.

The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/962,065, filed Sep. 25, 2001, entitled “Method and System forAdapting Casino Games to Playing Preferences,” and issued as U.S. Pat.No. 7,033,276 on Apr. 25, 2006.

The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/108,827, filed Jul. 1, 1998, entitled “Method and Apparatus for TeamPlay of Slot Machines,” and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,332 B1 on Nov.6, 2001.

The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/108,646, filed Jul. 1, 1998, entitled “Electronic Amusement DeviceOffering Secondary Game Of Chance and Method for Operating Same”, andissued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,765 B1 on Apr. 2, 2002.

The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/029,143, filed Dec. 27, 2001, entitled “Electronic Amusement DeviceOffering Secondary Game Of Chance and Method for Operating Same”, andissued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,692,353 B2 on Feb. 17, 2002.

Each of the above-referenced applications is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for groups ofpeople to play games together. More specifically, the present inventionrelates to facilitating linked gaming between two or more players.

BACKGROUND

There are currently over 500,000 slot machines in operation thatgenerate more than $15 billion in annual revenue for United Statescasinos. Most casinos generate more than half of their gaming revenuesfrom slot machines and some individual casinos offer three or fourthousand slot machines at a single location. In fact, two differentcasinos in Connecticut each provide over six thousand gaming devices forplayers.

Popular casino games such as craps and blackjack offer a socialexperience. In fact, one reason these games are popular is that peopleat the same table tend to win and lose together as a group. Such gamescreate a team spirit, pitting the gamblers at the table against thecasino. People enjoy such shared experiences and thus tend to travel tocasinos in groups, such as a husband and wife, groups of co-workers, andgroups of friends. In contrast to craps and blackjack however, for someplayers, slot machine gaming may be an isolating experience. What isneeded are systems and methods that facilitate a more social experiencewhile playing gaming devices, particularly for groups of players.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating an example system according tosome embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating an alternative example systemaccording to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the details of acasino server 102 as depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B according to someembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the details of agaming device 104 as depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B according to someembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the external appearanceof a gaming device 104 as depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B according to someembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the external appearanceof a gaming device 106 as depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B according to someembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the external appearanceof a gaming device 108 as depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B according to someembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating an example of a first gaming devicedisplay screen as it may be used on a gaming device 104 according tosome embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a drawing illustrating an example of a second gaming devicedisplay screen as it may be used on a gaming device 104 according tosome embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a drawing illustrating an example of a third gaming devicedisplay screen as it may be used on a gaming device 104 according tosome embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a drawing illustrating an example of a fourth gaming devicedisplay screen as it may be used on a gaming device 104 according tosome embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a table illustrating an example data structure of an exampleuser database 208 as depicted in FIG. 2 for use in some embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 12 is a table illustrating an example data structure of an examplegroup database 210 as depicted in FIG. 2 for use in some embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 13 is a table illustrating an example data structure of an examplegroup session database 212 as depicted in FIG. 2 for use in someembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a table illustrating an example data structure of an examplecurrent session database 214 as depicted in FIG. 2 for use in someembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary process forfacilitating linked play gaming according to and for use in someembodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention overcomes the above and other drawbacks of the prior artby allowing people to gamble as a group against a casino or each other.In some embodiments of the present invention, group members' individualgambling outcomes are combined into a group outcome. The group outcomeis then matched against a set of criteria for beating the casino. If thegroup outcome meets the set of criteria, then the group receives areward. In some embodiments, the reward is provided to the whole group,whereas in other embodiments, the reward is shared only among particulargroup members. As the group members generate their individual outcomes,they may communicate with one another, sharing in the excitement ordisappointment of each other's outcomes, and sharing advice for gameswith skill or player-choice components. If the group wins, all membersfeel group satisfaction. Even if the group does not win, the sharedexperience of near misses is fun for the group. In any event, groupcompetition provides casino patrons with a much more social experiencethan is typically had at a casino. Group play encourages people toremain at the casino until the group's competition has been completed.With group play, people will encourage more friends to accompany them toa casino so as to fill a group roster. The casino therefore benefitsfrom increased gambling activity.

There are many possible group formats. Instead of competing togetheragainst the casino, group members may compete against one another. Twoor more group members may make a bet as to who will have the bestgambling results for a session. The casino holds the bets from eachgroup member, and gives the bets to the group member who had the bestperformance at the end of the gambling session. Another group formatlinks group members' outcomes in some way. For instance, if two groupmembers both receive an outcome of “orange-orange-orange” at almost thesame time, then the two group members win a bonus prize in addition tothe payout for “orange-orange-orange”. Still another group format allowsall group members to share in each other's winnings and losses. Withthis format, group members mitigate the risk of sustaining large lossesthemselves and get to share in the luck of other group members. In yetanother format, a group has its own progressive prize. Each groupmember's wagers contribute to the progressive prize and only groupmembers are eligible to win the progressive prize. There are many otherpossible group formats.

Group play is applicable to gamblers at a casino and to remote gamblersplaying on the Internet and/or via the telephone. Group play may befacilitated by a casino server. The casino server receives userinformation from a gaming device, personal computer, or other inputdevice. In addition, the casino server receives information describingthe groups the users would like to form or to join. The casino serverstores information about a group's format, including any entry fee groupmembers are required to pay, the amount of money group members may berequired to wager as part of the group, the length of the group'sgambling session, and so on. The casino server also stores informationabout the group's objective, including the criteria the group isrequired to satisfy in order to win a prize, and the nature of the prizeitself. The casino server may additionally store information about whobelongs to a particular group. The casino server may then track thegambling results of the individual group members, and aggregate theresults into a group result or outcome. At the end of a group's gamblingsession, or at any appropriate point in time, the casino server maydetermine whether the group or group members have met the group'sobjective, and if they have, may instruct group members' gaming devicesto award prizes accordingly.

Applicants have recognized that a need exists for systems and methodsthat provide users with a social experience while playing gamingdevices. One particular benefit to users of embodiments of the presentinvention is that users are able to experience more interaction amongpeople at a casino then they typically would playing conventional slotmachines. This changes gambling, particularly gambling at slot machines,from an isolating experience into a dynamic social and excitingexperience. Group play also provides opportunities to win much largerprizes than would otherwise be possible while at the same time, groupplay may allow people to reduce their risks of large losses and to sharein the luck of others.

From a casino's perspective, the present invention provides a number ofbenefits. People who have joined a group are likely to gamble at acasino at least for the duration of the group's session. Therefore,groups provide a means for a casino to ensure receipt of a certainamount of customer business. In addition, awarding prizes for groupperformance provides an alternative channel for distributing casinohotel rooms, show tickets, meals, and merchandise. A casino mayprofitably give away to groups anything it cannot sell through standardchannels. Further, people will encourage friends or relatives toaccompany them to a casino so as to form a group. Casinos will thereforebenefit from increased patronage. Also, group play increases people'senjoyment of gambling by adding elements of shared experience, teampride and/or competition. Thus, people who enjoy the experience ofgambling are likely to gamble for longer periods of time when gamblingin groups.

With these and other advantages and features of the invention that willbecome hereinafter apparent, the nature of the invention may be moreclearly understood by reference to the following detailed description ofthe invention, the appended claims and to the several drawings includedherein.

In the following description, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way ofillustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may bepracticed. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail toenable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is tobe understood that other embodiments may be utilized and thatstructural, logical, software, and electrical changes may be madewithout departing from the scope of the present invention. The followingdescription is, therefore, not to be taken in a limited sense, and thescope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

A. Terms

Throughout the description that follows and unless otherwise specified,the following terms may include and/or encompass the example meaningsprovided in this section. These terms and illustrative example meaningsare provided to clarify the language selected to describe embodiments ofthe invention both in the specification and in the appended claims.

The terms “products,” “goods,” “merchandise,” and “services” shall besynonymous and may refer to anything licensed, leased, sold, availablefor sale, available for lease, available for licensing, and/or offeredor presented for sale, lease, or licensing including packages ofproducts, subscriptions to products, contracts, information, services,and intangibles.

The term “merchant” may refer to an entity who may offer to sell, lease,and/or license one or more products to a consumer (for the consumer oron behalf of another) or to other merchants. For example, merchants mayinclude sales channels, individuals, companies, manufacturers,distributors, direct sellers, re-sellers, and/or retailers. Merchantsmay transact out of buildings including stores, outlets, malls, casinos,and warehouses, and/or they may transact via any number of additionalmethods including mail order catalogs, vending machines, online websites, and/or via telephone marketing. Note that a producer ormanufacturer may choose not to sell to customers directly and in such acase, a retailer may serve as the manufacturer's or producer's saleschannel.

The terms “player” and “user” shall be synonymous and may refer to anyperson or entity that operates a user device, a gaming device, and/or auser terminal.

The term “gaming device” may refer to any electrical, mechanical,electro-mechanical and/or other device that may accept a wager, mayfollow a process to generate an outcome, and may pay winnings based onthe outcome. The outcome may be randomly generated, as with a slotmachine; may be generated through a combination of randomness and userskill, as with video poker; or may be generated entirely through userskill. A gaming device may include any gaming machine and/or system,including slot machines, video poker machines, video bingo machines,video roulette machines, video keno machines, video blackjack machines,arcade games, video games, pinball machines, skill crane machines, videolottery terminals, online gaming systems, sports betting machines, gameconsoles, personal computers logged into online gaming sites, etc.Gaming devices may or may not be owned and/or maintained by a casinoand/or may or may not exist within a casino location.

The term “casino” may refer to the owner of gaming devices, owners'agents, and/or any entity who may profit from players' use of the gamingdevices.

The term “casino location” may refer to the physical geographic site,complex, or building where gaming devices owned and/or operated by acasino are located. In the case of an online casino, casino location mayrefer to the address (e.g. the uniform resource locator (URL)) of theonline casino's Web site or facility.

The terms “handle pull” and “spin” shall be synonymous and may refer toa single play at a gaming device. In some embodiments, a handle pull mayrefer to a single complete game (or hand) or in other embodiments, theterm may refer to a play related to a single wager. For example, invideo blackjack, a user might play a single game in which he splits apair of sevens, requiring an additional wager. This single game may beconsidered to include one or multiple handle pulls in differentembodiments.

The terms “server” and “casino server” shall be synonymous and may referto any device that may communicate with one or more gaming devices, oneor more third-party servers, one or more remote controllers, one or moreplayer devices, and/or other network nodes, and may be capable ofrelaying communications to and from each.

The term “user terminal” and “remote controller” shall be synonymous andmay refer to any device that may communicate with one or more casinoservers, one or more gaming devices, one or more third-party serviceprovider servers, one or more player devices, and/or other networknodes. User terminals may, for example, include personal computers,laptop computers, handheld computers, telephones, kiosks, automatedteller machines, gaming devices, game consoles, and/or vending machines.They may include facilities to support secure communications usingencryption or the like.

The terms “player device” and “user device” shall be synonymous and mayrefer to any device owned or used by a user or consumer capable ofaccessing and/or displaying online and/or offline content. Playerdevices may communicate with one or more casino servers, one or moregaming devices, one or more third-party service provider servers, one ormore user terminals, and/or other network nodes. In some embodiments,player devices may, for example, include gaming devices, personalcomputers, personal digital assistants, point-of-sale terminals, pointof display terminals, kiosks, telephones, cellular phones, automatedteller machines (ATMs), pagers, and combinations of such devices.

The term “input device” may refer to a device that is used to receive aninput. An input device may communicate with or be part of another device(e.g. a point of sale terminal, a point of display terminal, a userterminal, a server, a player device, a gaming device, a controller,etc.). Some examples of input devices include: a bar-code scanner, amagnetic stripe reader, a computer keyboard, a point-of-sale terminalkeypad, a touchscreen, a microphone, an infrared sensor, a sonic ranger,a computer port, a video camera, a motion detector, a digital camera, anetwork card, a universal serial bus (USB) port, a GPS receiver, a radiofrequency identification (RFID) receiver, a RF receiver, a thermometer,a pressure sensor, and a weight scale.

The term “output device” may refer to a device that is used to outputinformation. An output device may communicate with or be part of anotherdevice (e.g. a gaming device, a point of sale terminal, a point ofdisplay terminal, a player device, a casino device, a controller, etc.).Possible output devices include: a cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor,liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, light emitting diode (LED) screen,a printer, an audio speaker, an infra-red transmitter, a radiotransmitter.

The term “I/O device” may refer to any combination of input and/oroutput devices.

The term “frequent shopper card” may refer to a device that may becapable of identifying and/or storing information about aconsumer/player who is a shopper. This information may includeidentifying information and shopping history information. The frequentshopper card may be machine readable, for example, by a POS terminal.According to some embodiments of the present invention, a frequentshopper card may store player and/or group membership and/or groupformat information.

The term “player tracking card” may refer to a device that may becapable of identifying and/or storing information about a consumer whois a casino player. Typically player tracking cards may be accessed bygaming devices and magnetic card readers operated by casino staff. Theinformation stored on the player tracking card may include identifyinginformation, as well as financial information, such as a number ofgambling credits remaining. The card may be machine readable, forexample, by a gaming device. According to some embodiments of thepresent invention, a player tracking card may store player and/or groupmembership and/or group format information.

The terms “ATM card” and “automatic teller machine card” shall besynonymous and may refer to a device that may be capable of identifyingand/or storing information about a consumer/player who is a bankcustomer. This information may include identifying information and bankaccount information. The ATM card may be machine readable, for example,by an automated teller machine. According to some embodiments of thepresent invention, an ATM card may store player and/or group membershipand/or group format information.

The term “gross winnings” may refer to a user's (or group's) totalwinnings for a session or time period, without regard to the amountswagered during the session.

The term “net winnings” may refer to a user's (or group's) totalwinnings for a session or time period, less the total amount wageredduring that time period.

The term “group format” may refer to a set of rules or guidelines agroup and its members are required to follow to be eligible for a prizeas a group member. The group format may include, for example, aspecification of: the gaming devices at which group members are requiredto wager, the total amount of money group members are required to wager,the total amount of money group members are required to contribute to acommon pool, the length of a group session, the number of people who mayjoin the group, what happens if a group member leaves the group, and/orthe way in which any prize will be distributed among the group members.

The term “group objective” may refer to a prize and a set of criteria agroup may be required to meet in order to win the prize. The groupobjective may include a specification of some or all of the groupformat. Examples of the criteria may include: having the group'saggregate net winnings exceeding a certain threshold, having two or moregroup members attain an outcome simultaneously, having each person inthe group win a certain amount, etc. In embodiments where group memberscompete with one another, the criteria may be criteria for eachindividual group member. For example, the criteria may include beatingthe other members of the group. Prizes, for example, may include cash,gambling tokens, discounted hotel rooms, discounted meals, discountedshow tickets, free handle pulls at a gaming device, etc.

The terms “playing group,” “linked group,” “linked play group,” and“play group” shall be synonymous and may refer to a group of peoplewhose play at a physical or on-line casino is linked in some way. Forexample, the members of a group may be linked in that they have eachagreed to split a prize if the group's gross winnings exceed a certainamount or in that they earn a prize for each generating the same outcomeon different gaming devices within a certain time period. In someembodiments, a playing group may form at the request of a user.Alternatively, a group may form when the casino server 102 prompts twoor more users to join. In addition to having their gambling resultsintertwined, in some embodiments, playing group members may alsocommunicate with one another and may participate in other groupactivities, such as group lunches, award ceremonies, and outings.

The terms “linked play session” and “group play session” shall besynonymous and may refer to any period of time or a number of handlepulls during which group members' outcomes count towards a groupobjective.

B. System

An example embodiment of the system 100A of the present invention isdepicted in FIG. 1A. The system 100A according to some embodiments ofthe present invention may include a casino server 102 (an example ofwhich is depicted in FIG. 2) in one or two-way communication with one ormore gaming devices 104, 106, 108 (an example of which is depicted inFIG. 3) via a network such as, for example, the Internet or via anothercommunications link. Although not pictured, other casino devices besidesgaming devices 104, 106, 108 may be connected to the casino server 102.Likewise, servers of other casinos and other establishments may be indirect or indirect communication with the casino server 102.

In operation, the casino server 102 may function under the control of acasino, a merchant, or other entity that may also control use of thegaming devices 104, 106, 108. For example, the casino server 102 may bea server in a merchant's network. In some embodiments, the casino server102 may also be a merchant's server.

Referring to FIG. 1B, an alternative system 100B according to some otherembodiments of the present invention further includes one or morethird-party servers 110. A third-party server 110 may also be in one ortwo-way communication with the casino server 102. However, as shown inthe embodiment depicted in FIG. 1B, the third-party server 110 may bedisposed between the casino server 102 and gaming devices 112, 114.Alternatively (not pictured), the third-party server 110 may be disposedbetween the casino server 102 and casino servers of other casinos.

The primary difference between the two alternative embodiments depictedin FIGS. 1A and 1B is that the embodiment of FIG. 1B includes thethird-party server 110 which may be operable by an entity distinctand/or physically remote from the entity operating the casino server102. In operation, the third-party server 110 may perform the methods ofthe present invention by sending signals to the casino server 102 to berelayed to the gaming devices 104, 106, 108. For example, a marketingcompany may operate the third-party server 110 to create gamingcompetitions between players at gaming devices 112, 114 outside a casinoand at gaming devices 104, 106, 108 inside the casino or, more simply,to facilitate linked play on behalf of the casino in which a casinoserver 102 is used to control gaming devices 104, 106, 108. In theembodiment of FIG. 1A, the functions of the third-party server 110 maybe consolidated into the casino server 102.

An additional difference between these two embodiments relates to thephysical topology of the systems 100A and 100B. In both of the depictedembodiments, each node may securely communicate with every other node inthe system 100A, 100B via, for example, a virtual private network (VPN).Thus, all nodes may be logically connected. However, the embodimentdepicted in FIG. 1B allows the third-party server 110 to optionallyserve as a single gateway between the nodes 102, 104, 106, 108 that willtypically be under the control of a casino (and players within thecasinos' location) and the other nodes in the system 100B, i.e. nodes112, 114 that may be operated by players outside of the casinos'location. In some embodiments of the present invention, thecentralization, security, and control that naturally results from thistopology is useful in operating, maintaining, and monitoring use of thesystem.

In both embodiments pictured in FIGS. 1A and 1B, communication betweenthe casino server 102, the gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114),and/or the third-party server 110, may be direct and/or via a networksuch as the Internet.

Referring to both FIGS. 1A and 1B, each of the casino server 102, (thethird-party server 110 of FIG. 1B), and the gaming devices 104, 106,108, (112, 114) may comprise, for example, computers, such as thosebased on the Intel®Pentium® processor, that are adapted to communicatewith each other. Any number of third-party servers 110, external casinoservers (not pictured), and/or gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114)may be in direct or indirect, one or two-way communication with thecasino server 102. The third-party server 110, the casino server 102,and/or the gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114) may each bephysically proximate to each other or geographically remote from eachother. The third-party server 110, the casino server 102, and/or thegaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114) may each include input devicesand output devices.

As indicated above, communication between the casino server 102, thethird-party server 110, and the gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114)may be direct or indirect, such as over an Internet Protocol (IP)network such as the Internet, an intranet, or an extranet through a website maintained by the casino server 102 (and/or the third-party server110) on a remote server or over an online data network includingcommercial on-line service providers, bulletin board systems, routers,gateways, and the like. In some embodiments, the nodes may communicatewith each other over local area networks including Ethernet, Token Ring,FDDI Full Duplex Technology (FFDT), and the like, radio frequencycommunications, infrared communications, microwave communications, cabletelevision systems, satellite links, Wide Area Networks (WAN),Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks, Public Switched TelephoneNetwork (PSTN), other wireless networks, and the like.

Those skilled in the art will understand that devices in communicationwith each other need not be continually transmitting to each other. Onthe contrary, such devices need only transmit to each other asnecessary, and may actually refrain from exchanging data most of thetime. For example, a device in communication with another device via theInternet may not transmit data to the other device for weeks or monthsat a time.

The casino server 102 (and/or the third-party server 110) may functionas a “Web server” that presents and/or generates Web pages which aredocuments stored on Internet-connected computers accessible via theWorld Wide Web using protocols such as, e.g., the hyper-text transferprotocol (“HTTP”). Such documents typically include one or morehyper-text markup language (“HTML”) files, associated graphics, andscript files. A Web server allows communication with the casino server102 in a manner known in the art. The gaming devices 104, 106, 108,(112, 114) may use a web browser, such as NAVIGATOR® published byNETSCAPE® for accessing HTML forms generated or maintained by or onbehalf of the casino server 102 and/or the third-party server 110.

As indicated above, any or all of the casino server 102, the third-partyserver 110, and/or the gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114) mayinclude or be part of, e.g., processor based cash registers, telephones,interactive voice response (IVR) systems such as the ML400-IVR designedby MISSING LINK INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE SYSTEMS, cellular/wirelessphones, vending machines, pagers, gaming devices including slotmachines, personal computers, portable types of computers, such as alaptop computer, a wearable computer, a palm-top computer, a hand-heldcomputer, a smart card, and/or a Personal Digital Assistant (“PDA”).Further details of the casino server 102, the third-party server 110,and the gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114) are provided below withrespect to FIGS. 2 through 7.

As indicated above, in some embodiments of the invention, the casinoserver 102 (and/or the third-party server 110) may include gamingdevices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114). In addition, the casino server 102may communicate with users directly instead of through the gamingdevices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114). Although not pictured, the casinoserver 102, the third-party server 110, and/or the gaming devices 104,106, 108, (112, 114) may also be in communication with one or moreconsumer and/or merchant credit institutions to effect currencytransactions and may do so directly or via a secure financial networksuch as the Fedwire network maintained by the United States FederalReserve System, the Automated Clearing House (ACH) Network, the ClearingHouse Interbank Payments System (CHIPS), or the like.

In operation, the gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114) and/or thethird-party server 110 may exchange information about the groups, linkedplay, and/or the individual group members via the casino server 102. Inembodiments with a third-party server 110, the casino server 102 and/orthe gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114) may exchange informationabout the groups, linked play, and/or the individual group members viathe third-party server 110. The gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114)may for example, provide information related to group format selectionsand group objectives to the casino server 102 (and/or the third-partyserver 110). The gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114) may furtherprovide gambling performance data to the casino server 102 (and/or thethird-party server 110). The casino server 102 (and/or the third-partyserver 110) may provide information about group progress to the playersat the gaming devices 104, 106, 108 in the casino location or to remotegaming devices 112, 114.

C. Devices

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating details of an example of thecasino server 102 of FIGS. 1A and 1B (and/or an example of a third-partyserver 110 of FIG. 1B). The casino server 102 is operative to manage thesystem 100A, 100B and execute the methods of the present invention. Thecasino server 102 may be implemented as one or more system controllers,one or more dedicated hardware circuits, one or more appropriatelyprogrammed general purpose computers, or any other similar electronic,mechanical, electro-mechanical, and/or human operated device. Forexample, in FIG. 1B, the casino server 102 is depicted as being incommunication with a third-party server 110. In the embodiment of FIG.1B, these two servers may provide the same functions as the casinoserver 102 alone in the embodiment of FIG. 1A.

The casino server 102 (and/or the third-party server 110) may include aprocessor 200, such as one or more Intel®Pentium® processors. Theprocessor 200 may include or be coupled to one or more clocks or timers(not pictured) and one or more communication ports 202 through which theprocessor 200 communicates with other devices such as the gaming devices104, 106, 108, (112, 114) and/or the third-party server 110. Theprocessor 200 is also in communication with a data storage device 204.The data storage device 204 may include any appropriate combination ofmagnetic, optical and/or semiconductor memory, and may include, forexample, additional processors, communication ports, Random AccessMemory (“RAM”), Read-Only Memory (“ROM”), a compact disc and/or a harddisk. The processor 200 and the storage device 204 may each be, forexample: (i) located entirely within a single computer or othercomputing device; or (ii) connected to each other by a remotecommunication medium, such as a serial port cable, a LAN, a telephoneline, radio frequency transceiver, a fiber optic connection or the like.In some embodiments for example, the casino server 102 may comprise oneor more computers (or processors 200) that are connected to a remoteserver computer operative to maintain databases, where the data storagedevice 204 is comprised of the combination of the remote server computerand the associated databases.

The data storage device 204 stores a program 206 for controlling theprocessor 200. The processor 200 performs instructions of the program206, and thereby operates in accordance with the present invention, andparticularly in accordance with the methods described in detail herein.The present invention may be embodied as a computer program 206developed using an object oriented language that allows the modeling ofcomplex systems with modular objects to create abstractions that arerepresentative of real world, physical objects and theirinterrelationships. However, it would be understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art that the invention as described herein can beimplemented in many different ways using a wide range of programmingtechniques as well as general purpose hardware systems or dedicatedcontrollers. The program 206 may be stored in a compressed, uncompiledand/or encrypted format. The program 206 furthermore may include programelements that may be generally useful, such as an operating system, adatabase management system and device drivers for allowing the processor200 to interface with computer peripheral devices. Appropriate generalpurpose program elements are known to those skilled in the art, and neednot be described in detail herein.

Further, the program 206 is operative to execute a number ofinvention-specific, objects, modules and/or subroutines which mayinclude (but are not limited to) one or more routines to identify aplayer at a gaming device 104, 106, 108, (112, 114); one or moreroutines to receive information about a user; one or more routines toestablish and to provide group objective and/or group format informationto a user at a gaming device 104, 106, 108, (112, 114); one or moreroutines to form and register a group and associate players with thegroup; one or more routines to store group members' performanceinformation; one or more routines to facilitate interaction among groupmembers, one or more routines to facilitate and control communicationsbetween gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114) and/or a third-partyserver 110; one or more routines to terminate linked play; one or moreroutines to determine whether group objects were achieved and groupformats were complied with; and/or one or more routines to controldatabases or software objects that track information regarding users,casinos, merchants supplying prizes, other third-parties, gamblingresults, group data, gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114), andawarding prizes. Examples of these routines and their operation aredescribed in detail below in conjunction with the flowchart depicted inFIG. 15.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the instructionsof the program 206 may be read into a main memory of the processor 200from another computer-readable medium, such from a ROM to a RAM.Execution of sequences of the instructions in the program 206 causesprocessor 200 to perform the process steps described herein. Inalternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry or integrated circuits maybe used in place of, or in combination with, software instructions forimplementation of the processes of the present invention. Thus,embodiments of the present invention are not limited to any specificcombination of hardware, firmware, and/or software.

In addition to the program 206, the storage device 204 is also operativeto store (i) a user database 208, (ii) a group database 210, (iii) agroup session database 212, and (iv) a current session database 214. Thedatabases 208, 210, 212, 214 are described in detail below and examplestructures are depicted with sample entries in the accompanying figures.As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the schematicillustrations and accompanying descriptions of the sample databasespresented herein are exemplary arrangements for stored representationsof information. Any number of other arrangements may be employed besidesthose suggested by the tables shown. For example, even though fourseparate databases are illustrated, the invention could be practicedeffectively using one, two, three, five, or more functionally equivalentdatabases. Similarly, the illustrated entries of the databases representexemplary information only; those skilled in the art will understandthat the number and content of the entries can be different from thoseillustrated herein. Further, despite the depiction of the databases astables, an object-based model could be used to store and manipulate thedata types of the present invention and likewise, object methods orbehaviors can be used to implement the processes of the presentinvention. These processes are described below in detail with respect toFIG. 15.

Turning to FIG. 3, a block diagram depicting an example a gaming device104 may include a processor 300 coupled to a communications port 302, adata storage device 304 that stores a gaming device program 306, adisplay screen 308, a player tracking card reader 310, and/or a userinput device 312. In embodiments in which, for example, the casinoserver 102 serves/controls multiple casinos operated by differententities, a casino may wish to have a local copy of the portions of thecasino server's databases 208, 210, 212, 214 that include entriesrelated to that casino and exclude other casinos' access to thatcasino's information. Thus, in some embodiments of a gaming device 104according to the present invention there may be included local copies ofsome portions of the databases 208, 210, 212, 214. Such a redundantconfiguration may provide enhanced system performance by reducingnetwork communications. A gaming device program 306 may include one ormore routines to respond to requests from other gaming devices 106, 108,(112, 114) for group data and performance information. In other words, alocal copy of a portion of the user database (not pictured) may providethe gaming device program 306 with access to information about specificplayers while the local copy of a portion of the group database (notpictured) may provide access to the group data. Such a distributedconfiguration may provide enhanced system security by allowing differentcasinos to store and maintain their own databases. In some embodiments,local copies of the databases are not stored on the gaming devices 104,106, 108, (112, 114) and instead, the gaming device program 306 accessesthe user database 208 and the group database 210 stored and maintainedon the casino server 102. Likewise, in some embodiments, the databasesmay only exist on a third-party server 110 and thus, both the casinoserver 102 and the gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114) access thethird-party server 110 for the data.

Turning to FIG. 4, an illustration of an example of the exterior of agaming device 104 is provided. A group play indicia/activation button400 on a gaming device 104 may include an arrow or other pointer thatpermits and/or indicates another gaming device 106 located adjacent tothe first gaming device 104 to engage in group play with the firstgaming device 104. In some embodiments, the group playindicia/activation button 400 may be illuminated to indicate that groupplay is active. Further details of the use of such features are providedbelow in conjunction with a discussion of the methods of the presentinvention.

Turning to FIG. 5, an illustration of an additional example of theexterior of a gaming device 106 is provided. A group play indicia 500may include signage that reflects a group play status of a gaming device106. In some embodiments, a payout table 504 may indicate specialpayouts available for group outcomes. In some embodiments, the outcomesof other group members' gaming devices 104, 108 (112, 114) may bedisplayed in a group play display area 502 of the gaming device 106.Along with the remote players' outcome, other group play information maybe displayed in the group play display area 502. For example, a “time tomatch” timer 508 may indicate the amount of time the player of gamingdevice 106 has to get the same outcome that another linked group member(in this example, John) generated. In some embodiments, a gaming device106 may include a bet button 506 that provides a player means toactivate group play for a particular handle pull. In some embodiments, abet button 506 may be used by the player to wager an amount required forgroup play and/or to authorize payment of an entry fee for group play.Further details of the use of such features are provided below inconjunction with a discussion of the methods of the present invention.

Turning to FIG. 6, an illustration of an additional example of theexterior of a gaming device 108 is provided. As indicated above, in someembodiments, the outcomes of other group members' gaming devices 104,106 (112, 114) may be displayed in a group play display area 600 of thegaming device 108. As depicted in the particular video poker-type gamingdevice 108 of FIG. 6, the player's outcome display area 604 may includebuttons 602 that may be used by the player to transfer an element of hisoutcome to another linked group member. In this way, a gaming device 108embodying the present invention may be equipped to facilitate groupplay. Further details of the use of such an embodiment are providedbelow in conjunction with a discussion of the methods of the presentinvention.

Turning to FIG. 7, an example embodiment of a “Competition Request”dialog box 700 as it may be displayed on the display screen 308 of agaming device 104 is depicted. Using information from the user database208 and upon detecting a suitable player at a gaming device 104 using aplayer tracking card reader 310, in some embodiments the gaming device104 may display a dialog box 700 to a player that, for example, says:

Hello Mrs. Jones. Mr. Henry Jones challenges you to a bet of $15 to seewho has the best results for the next hour. If you accept, we willdeduct $15 from your credits, and hold the $15 for the next hour. If, inthe next hour, you win more in payouts than does Mr. Henry Jones, wewill give back your $15 plus $15 from Mr. Henry Jones. Otherwise, hewill keep your $15. The casino will also provide a buffet comp to thewinner. Press the “Accept” button below to accept. Press “Decline” todecline.

The player may then simply select either the Accept button 702 or theDecline button 704 to indicate her choice. The gaming device 104 isfurther operative to communicate the player's selection back to thecasino server 102 for storage in the group database 212. In someembodiments, a “Competition Request” dialog box 700 may be presented tousers outside a casino location operating a user device and/or to usersinside a casino location operating a gaming device 104 (or anyappropriate casino device). In some embodiments, a “Competition Request”dialog box 700 may be implemented as a Web page generated and/or storedremotely but viewed locally via a Web browser. Such a Web page may becreated by the casino server 102 program 206 and/or the gaming device104 program 306. In some embodiments, a “Competition Request” dialog box700 may be implemented as a program that executes locally on a userterminal and/or on a gaming device 104 (or any appropriate casinodevice).

Turning to FIG. 8, an example embodiment of a “Create a Group for LinkedPlay” dialog box 800 as it may be displayed on the display screen 308 ofa gaming device 104 is depicted. The particular example depicted allowsa player, a casino, or a third party to enter information to register agroup and choose a group objective and a group format. In the depictedembodiment, registering includes responding to a group name prompt 802by completing a name input field 804, responding to a group size limitprompt 806 by completing a size input field 808, and responding to apotential members' names to invite prompt 810 by completing a membersinput field 812.

In this example, the group objective may be selected by activating oneor more group objective buttons 816, 818, 820 in response to a groupobjective prompt 814. The “net winnings” group objective button 816 maybe used to indicate to the system 100A, 100B that the group is to havethe objective of achieving a certain amount of net winnings. Theparticular amount required by the casino to win a prize may bedetermined by the system 100A, 1008 based upon the number of players inthe group and the length of the linked play session.

The “simultaneous occurrence” group objective button 818 may be used toindicate to the system 100A, 1008 that the group is to have theobjective of generating a number of identical or associated outcomeswithin a defined time period or number of handle pulls. Again, theparticular number of simultaneous associated outcomes required by thecasino to win a prize may be determined by the system 100A, 1008 basedupon the number of players in the group and the length of the linkedplay session.

The “group progressive” group objective button 820 may be used toindicate to the system 100A, 100B that a portion of each wager of eachgroup member is to be set aside into a “group progressive prize” andsome predefined rule is to be used to award the prize to a group memberat the end of the linked play session. In some embodiments, for example,a group progressive prize may be used to fund the prize for the twogroup members who receive identical simultaneous outcomes or the playerthat contributes the most to the group's aggregate net winnings score.

In the particular example of FIG. 8, the linked play session length maybe selected by activating one of the length buttons 824, 826, 828, 830in response to the session length prompt 822. The user, casino, and orthird-party may then select the Finished button 832 to signal the gamingdevice 104 to communicate the selections back to the casino server 102for storage in the group database 212. In some embodiments, a “Create aGroup for Linked Play” dialog box 800 may be presented to users outsidea casino location operating a user device and/or to users inside acasino location operating a gaming device 104 (or any appropriate casinodevice). In some embodiments, a “Create a Group for Linked Play” dialogbox 800 may be implemented as a Web page generated and/or storedremotely but viewed locally via a Web browser. Such a Web page may becreated by the casino server 102 program 206 and/or the gaming device104 program 306. In some embodiments, a “Create a Group for Linked Play”dialog box 800 may be implemented as a program that executes locally ona user terminal and/or on a gaming device 104 (or any appropriate casinodevice).

Turning to FIG. 9, an example of a “simultaneous occurrence” payouttable 900 as it may be displayed on the display screen 308 of a gamingdevice 104 is depicted. Such a payout table 900 may be used to indicatethe potentially large group payouts available to group members who areengaged in linked play with an objective of receiving simultaneousassociated outcomes. The particular example table 900 shown includesfive columns: (i) an outcome on first device column 902 that specifies afirst outcome; (ii) a payout for outcome on first device alone column904 that specifies the number of tokens awarded for generating theoutcome specified in the first column; (iii) an outcome on second devicecolumn 906 that specifies a second device's outcome; (iv) a payout foroutcome on second device alone column 908 that specifies the number oftokens awarded for generating the outcome specified in the third column;and (v) a payout for simultaneous occurrence for the two outcomes column910 that specifies the number of tokens awarded for two playersindependently and simultaneously generating one each of the two outcomesspecified in the first and third columns.

This type of payout table 900 thus may be used to indicate associationsbetween outcomes of different machines. For example, row one creates anassociation between an “orange-orange-orange” outcome on a reel slotmachine with a “four of a kind” outcome on a video poker machine.According to the example data in the first row, if two linked players,one playing a reel slot machine and the other playing a video pokermachine, simultaneously receive an orange-orange-orange outcome and afour of a kind outcome respectively, a payout of 200 tokens will beawarded in addition to the payouts associated with individual outcomes.In some embodiments, where players may use the same type of machine, thegroup objective may be to receive simultaneous identical outcomes.

Turning to FIG. 10, an example of a group objective progress graph 1000as it may be displayed on the display screen 308 of a gaming device 104is depicted. Such a progress graph 1000 may be used to illustrate groupresults to individual group members engaged in linked play with anobjective of achieving an aggregate gross winnings threshold within adefined time period. The particular example graph 1000 shown indicatesthat if the group can maintain their current pace of winnings for thefinal five minutes of the linked play session, they will achieve thegoal amount and thus qualify for a group prize. Providing such arepresentation to a linked play group may inspire the members tomaintain or increase their pace of wagering to ensure that the groupobjective is met. Many alternative graphs, including alternativeparameters such as group net winnings vs. handle pulls, may be useddepending on the group's objective and/or format.

D. Databases

As indicated above, it should be noted that although the exampleembodiment depicted in FIG. 2 includes four particular databases storedin storage device 204, other database arrangements may be used whichwould still be in keeping with the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. In other words, the present invention could be implementedusing any number of different database files or data structures, asopposed to the four depicted in FIG. 2. Further, the individual databasefiles could be stored on different servers (e.g. located on differentstorage devices in different geographic locations, such as on athird-party server 110). Likewise, the programs 206, 306 could also belocated remotely from the storage devices 204, 304 and/or on anotherserver. As indicated above, the programs 206, 306 may includeinstructions for retrieving, manipulating, and storing data in thedatabases 208, 210, 212, 214, as may be useful in performing the methodsof the invention as will be further described below.

1. User Database

Turning to FIG. 11, a tabular representation of an embodiment of a userdatabase 208 according to some embodiments of the present invention isillustrated. This particular tabular representation of a user database208 includes three sample records or entries which each includeinformation regarding a particular user. In some embodiments of theinvention, a user database 208 is used to track such things as playeridentity, player financial account information, player demographicinformation, and player gambling performance information, as well aslinked play preference information. Those skilled in the art willrecognize that such a user database 208 may include any number ofentries or additional fields.

The particular tabular representation of a user database 208 depicted inFIG. 11 includes eight fields for each of the entries or records. Thefields may include: (i) a player tracking card number field 1100 thatstores a representation uniquely identifying the user; (ii) a name field1102 that stores a representation of the user's name; (iii) a financialaccount identifier field 1104 that stores a representation of a bankaccount number, a credit card number, or other financial accountinformation needed to charge an account; (iv) a home address field 1106that stores a representation of the player's home address; (v) an emailaddress field 1108 that stores a representation of the player's emailaddress; (vi) a demographic field 1110 that stores a representation of adescription of demographic information about the user; (vii) a desiredgroup characteristics field 1112 that stores a representation of adescription of group characteristics that the player desires in a groupthat he would consider joining; and (viii) a lifetime theoretical winfield 1114 that stores a representation of the casino's theoretical winfrom that player since the account was created.

The example user database 208 depicted in FIG. 11 provides example datato illustrate the meaning of the information stored in this databaseembodiment. A tracking card number 1100 (e.g. “P111123,” “P222234,”“P333345”) may be used to identify and index the players listed in theuser database 208. Three examples of player information are provided.“Sam Brown” with credit card number “1111-1111-1111-1111” is a “male,age 23” who lives at “Anyplace, USA,” has the email address“sbrown@rain.com” and has a lifetime theoretical win of “$2345,” isinterested in joining groups with “quarter slot players.” “Linda Jones”with bank account number “2222-2222-2222-2222” is a “female, age 47” wholives at “Someplace, USA,” has the email address “ljones@ shine.com” andhas a lifetime theoretical win of “$765,” is only interested in being ina “group with only P444444.” “Margie Smith” with credit card number“3333-3333-3333-3333” is a “female, age 65” who lives at “Anywhere,USA,” has an email address “margie@east.com” and has a lifetimetheoretical win of “$6100,” is interested in joining a group thatincludes females over 55.”

2. Group Database

Turning to FIG. 12, a tabular representation of an embodiment of a groupdatabase 210 according to some embodiments of the present invention isillustrated. This particular tabular representation of a group database210 includes four sample records or entries which each includeinformation regarding a group registered for linked play. In someembodiments of the invention, a group database 210 is used to track suchthings as group members' identity, the relationship or commonality amongmembers, and the group sessions, as well as to associate individualplayers with their groups. Those skilled in the art will recognize thatsuch a group database 210 may include any number of entries oradditional fields.

The particular tabular representation of a group database 210 depictedin FIG. 12 includes four fields for each of the entries or records. Thefields may include: (i) a group identifier field 1200 that stores arepresentation uniquely identifying the group; (ii) a group members listfield 1202 that stores a representation listing the members of thegroup, wherein the members are represented by player tracking cardnumbers that may serve as pointers into the user database 208 depictedin FIG. 11 and discussed above; (iii) a common characteristics field1204 that stores a representation of the relationship or commonalityamong members of the group; and (iv) a group sessions field 1206 thatstores a representation listing the linked play sessions the group hasplayed or will play, wherein the linked play sessions are represented bysession identifiers that may serve as pointers into the group sessiondatabase 212 depicted in FIG. 13 and discussed below.

The example group database 210 depicted in FIG. 12 provides example datato illustrate the meaning of the information stored in this databaseembodiment. Referring to the first record, group “G1111” includesplayers “P222210, P333321” who are members of the “same family” and haveparticipated in three group sessions: “S1122, S2233, S3344.” Referringto the second record, group “G2222” includes players “P444432, P555543,P666654, P777765, P888876” who are “women from Ohio” and haveparticipated in one group session: “S2211.” Referring to the thirdrecord, group “G3333” includes players “P988889, P877778, P766667” whoare “friends” and have participated in four group sessions: “S3333,S4444, S5555, S6666.” Referring to the fourth record, group “G4444”includes players “P100001, P200002, P300003 . . . P900009” who do nothappen to have particular common characteristics and have participatedin two group sessions: “S7777, S8888.”

3. Group Session Database

Turning to FIG. 13, a tabular representation of an embodiment of a groupsession database 212 according to some embodiments of the presentinvention is illustrated. This particular tabular representation of agroup session database 212 includes four sample records or entries whicheach include information regarding an individual group play session. Insome embodiments of the invention, a group session database 212 is usedto track information descriptive of the participating group (or groups),the game played, any entry fees, the time of play, the group'sobjective, and results. Those skilled in the art will recognize thatsuch a group session database 212 may include any number of entries oradditional fields.

The particular tabular representation of a group session database 212depicted in FIG. 13 includes nine fields for each of the entries orrecords. The fields may include: (i) a session identifier field 1300that stores a representation uniquely identifying a particular groupplay session; (ii) a group identifier field 1302 that stores arepresentation of the group playing the session wherein the groups areidentified using the same identifiers used in the group database 210 ofFIG. 12; (iii) a game field 1304 that stores a representation of adescription of the game(s) played by the group during the session; (iv)an entry fee field 1306 that stores a representation of the fee chargedto participate in the session; (v) a session field 1308 that stores arepresentation of the times and dates of the session; (vi) an objectivefield 1310 that stores a representation of a description of groupobjective; (vii) a wager amount field 1312 that stores a representationof the size of the wager per handle pull that players are required tobet; (viii) a prize structure field 1314 that stores a representation ofa description of one or more prizes to be awarded to specified groupmembers if the group objective is met; and (ix) a result field 1316 thatstores a representation of the groups' results.

The example group database 212 of FIG. 13 provides example data toillustrate the meaning of the information stored in this databaseembodiment. A session identifier 1300 (i.e. “S1122,” “S2211,” “S3333,”“S8888”) may be used to identify and index linked play sessions.Referring to the first sample entry, Group “G1111” (which we happen toknow consists of two members of the same family from the first entry inthe group database 210) paid “$20 each” as an entry fee to play “3-reelslots” competing to achieve the “highest net winnings” during “10:00AM-12:00 PM May 9, 2004” on “$1 per wager machines. “P333321 won 1st”prize which was “$39,” the entry fee less one dollar.

Referring to the second sample entry, Group “G2222” (which we happen toknow consists of five women from Ohio based on the second entry in thegroup database 210) paid no entry fee to play “video poker” competing toachieve the “most skillful play” during “3:30 PM-5:30 PM Jun. 12, 2004[but]limit[ed to] 50 minutes/hour” on “$0.25” per wager machines.“P555543 won 1st” prize which was a “free dinner” and “P666654 won 2nd”prize which was a “free lunch.”

Referring to the third sample entry, Group “G3333” (which we happen toknow consists of three friends according to the third entry in the groupdatabase 210) paid no entry fee to play “5-reel slots” attempting toachieve “2 players with simultaneous payouts>$100” during “2:00 AM-3:00AM Jul. 9, 2004” on “$1” per wager machines. The objective was achievedand “P988889 and P877778 split $2000.”

Referring to the fourth sample entry, Group “G4444” paid an entry fee of“$100 for the group” to play “various” games attempting to achieve anobjective wherein the “group wins $1000 if [the] number of payouts over$20>300” during sessions held “Sundays, Sep. 4, 2004-Oct. 2, 2004,limit[ed to] 1 hour/day” on “$1” per wager machines. Group “G4444” is“in progress” attempting to achieve the objective.

4. Current Session Database

Turning now to FIG. 14, a tabular representation of an embodiment of acurrent session database 214 according to some embodiments of thepresent invention is illustrated. This particular tabular representationof a current session database 214 includes sample records or entrieswhich each include information regarding the details of a particularspin in a linked play session. In some embodiments of the invention, acurrent session database 214 may be used by a casino to store each andevery outcome and payout amount of each player in a group engaged in anactive linked play session. Those skilled in the art will recognize thatsuch a current session database 214 may include any number of entries oradditional fields.

The particular tabular representation of a current session database 214depicted in FIG. 14 includes five fields for each of the entries orrecords. In addition, the embodiment depicted includes three summaryfields. The fields may include: (i) a spin field 1408 that stores arepresentation uniquely identifying a handle pull; (ii) a first playeroutcome field 1410 that stores a representation that is descriptive ofthe first player's outcome for the particular handle pull; (iii) a firstplayer payout field 1412 that stores a representation of the amount theparticular handle pull paid the first player; (iv) a second playeroutcome field 1414 that stores a representation that is descriptive ofthe second player's outcome for the particular handle pull; and (v) asecond player payout field 1416 that stores a representation of theamount the particular handle pull paid the second player. Those skilledin the art will recognize that additional fields may be added toaccommodate additional group members but that the sample data used inthis particular example only required fields for a two-member group. Thesummary fields may include (i) a session field 1400 that stores arepresentation that uniquely identifies the session; (ii) a groupmembers field 1402 that includes sub-fields 1404, 1406 that provide abreak-out of the identifiers of individual group members' playertracking card numbers; and (iii) net winnings fields for each player1418, 1420 that each store a representation of a running total of therespective player's current net winnings in the session.

The example current session database 214 depicted in FIG. 14 providesexample data to illustrate the meaning of the information stored in thisdatabase embodiment. A session field 1400 (e.g. S1122) may be used toidentify the particular linked play session being recorded. The “N”outcomes 1410, 1414 (e.g. Bell-Bell-Orange, Plum-Plum-Bar;Cherry-Cherry-Cherry, Orange-7-Orange; Bar-Plum-7, Bell-Plum-Orange; andOrange-Bell-Cherry, 7-7-7) and the respective payout amounts 1412, 1416(e.g. 0, 10; 20, 0; 0, 0; and 2,100) are listed in columns under thegroup members 1402 player tracking card numbers (e.g. P222210, P333321).Each row of outcomes 1410, 1414 and respective payout amounts 1412, 1416may be enumerated and indexed by a spin number 1408 (e.g. 1, 2, 3, N).The net winnings fields 1418, 1420 (e.g. −30, 45) reflect the currentrunning total net winnings (or losses) of the group member column 1404,1406 under which the respective net winnings field appears. Thus, inthis example, after N handle pulls, group member P222210 has lost 30tokens and group member P333321 has won 45 tokens.

E. Process Descriptions

The system discussed above, including the hardware components and thedatabases, are useful to perform the methods of the invention. However,it should be understood that not all of the above described componentsand databases are necessary to perform any of the present invention'smethods. In fact, in some embodiments, none of the above describedsystem is required to practice the present invention's methods. Thesystem described above is an example of a system that would be useful inpracticing the invention's methods. For example, the user database 208described above with respect to FIG. 11 is useful for tracking users andinformation about them, but it is not absolutely necessary to have sucha database in order to perform the methods of the invention. In otherwords, the methods described below may be practiced using, for example,a conventional player tracking list in conjunction with a casino'sconventional accounting system.

Referring to FIG. 15, a flow chart is depicted that represents someembodiments of the present invention that may be performed by the casinoserver 102 (FIGS. 1A and 1B), the casino, an external third-party,and/or an integrated third-party entity/device such as a third-partyserver 110. It must be understood that the particular arrangement ofelements in the flow chart of FIG. 15, as well as the number and orderof example steps of various methods discussed herein, is not meant toimply a fixed order, sequence, quantity, and/or timing to the steps;embodiments of the present invention can be practiced in any order,sequence, and/or timing that is practicable.

In general terms and referring to FIG. 15, method steps of an embodimentof the present invention may be summarized as follows. In Step S1, acasino server 102 may register a playing group for linked play. In StepS2, a group format and a group objective may be established. In Step S3,linked play according to the group format may be initiated on the gamingdevices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114). In Step S4, the casino server 102, oranother device, may facilitate interaction between the group members. InStep S5, the linked play may be terminated according to the groupformat. In Step S6, a determination may be made by the casino server 102whether the group objective has been achieved and in Step S7, prizes maybe awarded via the gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114) if the groupobjective was achieved.

In the subsections that follow, each of these steps will now bediscussed in greater detail. Note that not all of these steps arerequired to perform the method of the present invention and thatadditional and/or alternative steps are also discussed below. Also notethat the above general steps represent features of only some of theembodiments of the present invention and that they may be combinedand/or subdivided in any number of different ways so that methods of thepresent invention include more or fewer actual steps. For example, insome embodiments many additional steps may be added to update andmaintain the databases described above, but as indicated, it is notnecessary to use the above described databases in all embodiments of theinvention. In other words, the methods of the present invention maycontain any number of steps that are practicable to implement theseveral different inventive processes described herein.

1. Registering a Group for Linked Play

In Step S1, a group is formed and in some embodiments, the members maybe registered with the casino server 102. A playing group may be anygroup of people whose gambling results are linked in some way. Forexample, each member of a group of five people may agree to shareequally in the winnings or the losses of the group as a whole. If, atthe end of a gambling session, the group members have won $500 betweenthem, then each member receives $100. In another example, each member ofa playing group may win a large prize if at least two group membersachieve the outcome “orange-orange-orange” within ten handle pulls ofone another. In a third example, each member of a playing groupcontributes $10 to a common pool at the beginning of a gambling session.At the end of the session, the group member who has won the mostgambling wins the common pool of money. In all of these examples, themoney a group member ultimately wins is influenced by the gamblingperformances of other group members, and thus, the play is linked.

A typical playing group might include people with a preexistingrelationship. A playing group might include for example, a husband andwife, several college friends, people belonging to the same businessgroup, and so on. In some embodiments, a group could just as wellinclude people who do not know each other. However, even members of agroup of strangers might share common characteristics. For example, eachmight be in a similar age group, each might be of the same gender, oreach might prefer to gamble at a particular type of slot machine.

The formation of a playing group may begin when one or more prospectivemembers communicates to the casino server 102 the desire to form aplaying group. Group members may communicate with the casino server 102via a gaming device 104 with a network connection to the server 102.Group members may come to a slot club booth, an information center, or achip-cashing desk at a casino and inform a casino employee of the desireto register a group. The casino employee may then communicate with thecasino server 102 via casino device such as a user terminal on thegroup's behalf. A group may also register on-line. For example, one ormore group members may use a personal computer to access a Web sitehosted by the casino server 102. The group member(s) may then provideregistration information by keying it into dialog boxes on the Web site,by selecting relevant options from menus, and so on. A group may alsoregister over the phone with an operator or an IVRU, via email, or viaany other method. FIG. 8 depicts a sample electronic form which a user,a casino, and/or a third-party may use to initiate the formation of agroup. Such a form may be displayed on the display screen 308 of agaming device 104, or on a Web page hosted by the casino server 102. Asdiscussed in detail above, the form may include prompts and input fieldsfor entering various parameters pertaining to a group's format andobjective.

The casino server 102 may require various types of registrationinformation from a playing group and its members. Registrationinformation might include group members' names, addresses, telephonenumbers, email addresses, financial account information, player trackingcard numbers, demographics, marital status, number of children, gamblingpreferences, and so on. Information about playing group members may bestored in a user database 208 such as depicted in FIG. 11. In someembodiments, each group member may be required to provide his or her owninformed consent to joining the group. For instance, a group membermight provide a signature, either physical or digital, signifying hisconsent to joining a group. A group member might also need to provideverification of his identity. Once again, a group member might use hissignature, or some other biometric indicator. The group member mightalso present identification, such as a driver's license, credit card,birth certificate, etc. Another option would be for the group member toanswer a question whose answer only the group member would know. Eachgroup member might provide registration information about himself.Alternatively, one or more group members may provide information aboutother group members. In some embodiments, information about groupmembers is already held in a casino server 102 database. The informationmay be on file from previous gambling sessions, for example. In someembodiments, group members are required to demonstrate they have acertain minimum amount of money with which to participate in the group.For example, if the playing group is to split winnings and lossesamongst the members, then each member might be required to start with$100 with which to gamble. Group members may demonstrate possession of acertain amount of money by inserting the money into a gaming device 104,by changing the money for casino tokens at a casino desk, by providingthe casino server 102 with means to access the members' checkingaccounts, and so on.

When registering for a group, group members may also provide personalinformation. When group members provide personal information, theinformation may be displayed to other group members to help them becomeacquainted with one another. Personal information may includeoccupations, hobbies, short autobiographies, etc. Personal informationmay also include pictures of the person, of the person's family, theperson's home, and so on.

In some embodiments, once a first prospective group member hascommunicated to the casino server 102 his desire to form a group, thecasino server 102 may ask others whether or not they would like to join.For example, Joe Smith informs the casino server 102 that he would liketo form a playing group with his wife, Linda Smith. The casino server102 then looks up Linda Smith in its user database 208 and finds thegaming device 104 on which she is currently playing (e.g. by referenceto her player tracking card number). The casino server 102 thentransmits a message to the gaming device 104, to be displayed to LindaSmith. The message asks her whether or not she wishes to form a playinggroup with her husband, Joe Smith. Linda may then indicate herwillingness to join by, for example, touching an “agree” button on thetouch screen of the gaming device 104. FIG. 7 shows an exemplary promptasking a user whether or not she would like to join a group in which twogroup members compete against one another to see who wins more inpayouts during a session.

There are a number of ways for the casino server 102 to promptprospective group members to determine whether they wish to join aplaying group. As described above, the casino server 102 may transmit amessage via the casino's slot network to prospective members' gamingdevices 104, 106, 108. A gaming device 104 that has received such amessage 700 may then display it on the display screen 308 of the gamingdevice 104. Alternatively, the gaming device 104 may output an audiomessage to the user at the gaming device 104. The user may then respondby touching areas on the display screen 308, by keying in a responseusing a keypad or other buttons 312, or by voicing a response into amicrophone of the gaming device 104. In some embodiments, the userremotely accesses a Web site of the casino server 102, e.g. via a userdevice such as a personal computer with a modem. In such embodiments,the casino server 102 may prompt the user by transmitting a message tothe user over the current connection to the user's personal computer.For example, the casino server 102's Web site may include a chatfeature, and the casino server 102 may prompt the user by sending theuser a message over the chat line. The user may then respond by keyingin a message and pressing the “enter” key to send it back to the casinoserver 102. In some embodiments, the casino server 102 may prompt theuser via email. In some embodiments, the casino server 102 may promptthe user by calling the user's telephone or mobile phone. Those skilledin the art will recognize that there are many other means by which thecasino server 102 may prompt the user, and there are many other means bywhich the user may respond.

In embodiments where the casino server 102 sends a prompt to a userasking whether the user would like to join a playing group, the promptmay contain several pieces of information. This information may includethe names of the current group members; the names of users who will beasked to join the group; the objective of the group; how much money eachgroup member will need to gamble as part of the group; how each groupmember's potential winnings and losses will be effected by joining thegroup; the time commitments necessary for joining the group; etc.

In some embodiments, one user may ask another to join a group. Forexample, a first user begins by keying in the identifier of a seconduser. The identifier may include a name, player tracking card number,email address, screen handle, etc. The first user then keys in amessage, such as, “Hi Sam, let's form that group we were talking about.Just tell the server you want to join group 359.” The first user maythen send the message to the second user via a network linking the twousers' gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114), via the Internet, viathe phone system, etc. The second user may then receive the message andview it on the display screen 308 of his gaming device 104, the monitorof his computer, the display screen of his personal digital assistant(PDA), etc. The second user might, for example, also hear the message inaudio format.

Once a user has been prompted by the casino server 102, by athird-party, or by another user, the user may communicate to the casinoserver 102 his willingness to join the group. The user may, for example,navigate a series of screens on his gaming device 104 so as to call up ascreen used for joining a group. The user may then fill in theidentifier of the group he wishes to join, along with any required userinformation. In some embodiments, the prompt sent to the user contains asimple response mechanism, requiring the user only to touch the displayscreen, or to mouse-click over a certain area of the screen in order tojoin the group. Those skilled in the art will recognize that there aremany other ways by which the user may indicate his willingness to join agroup.

In some embodiments, a user is not prompted to join a group. Instead, hemay be provided with access to a list of groups that are already inexistence or in the process of formation. For example, the user may callup a screen on the casino server's Web site. The screen may list, forexample, the “Riverside Group” as needing three more members, the“Springdale Baking Club” as full, the “Vegas Stompers” as open to anunlimited number of members, and the “Senior Citizens Group” as needingfour more members, but only over the age of 65. The screen might listthe current number of people in the group, and any general informationabout the group or its members.

Once a user has seen a listing of available groups, the user may chooseto join one of the groups. The user might, for example, touch or clickon the group name, input required user information, and then click a“join” button control. The existing group members may then have theopportunity to approve the new user. For example, each existing groupmember receives a message from the casino server 102 to the effect thata new user wishes to join the group. If the existing group members donot approve of the new user, as demonstrated through a vote or throughsome other signaling means, then the new group member may not be allowedto join.

In some embodiments, even if a user is not able to join a group, eitherbecause it is full, he is not voted in, or for some other reason, theuser may be put on a “stand-by” list. The user may later be allowed inthe group, or reconsidered for admission into the group, if, forexample, an existing group member drops out.

In some embodiments users may receive periodic or real time updates asto what new groups are forming, what existing groups still need newmembers, and what groups are no longer open to new members.

In some embodiments, a prospective group member at a gaming device maycommunicate his desire to form a group with a person at a nearby gamingdevice. In particular, the prospective group member may indicate that hewishes to form a group with the person at the gaming device situatedimmediately to the right of his own, or situated immediately to the leftof his own. In such embodiments, a first person need not necessarilyspecify the name of a second person with whom he wishes to join, sincethe second person is uniquely identified by the gaming device at whichhe is sitting. Such embodiments may be particularly useful for twofriends, or for a husband and wife, who are playing at adjacent gamingdevices. Of course, a person might also specify that he wishes to form agroup with the person, for example, at the gaming device two to theright, three to the left, opposite, behind, or otherwise situated inrelation to his own gaming device.

In some embodiments, a gaming device 104 may be equipped with buttons400 for conveniently joining a group with a person at an adjacent gamingdevice. For example, a gaming device 104 might have a button 400 on theleft side of its front panel, wherein the button is in the shape of anarrow pointing to the left. Text on the button may read “Group Play WithMachine to Your Left”. A first person may press the button in order torequest to join a group with a second person to his left. Meanwhile thesecond person may press a button on the right side of his gaming device,wherein the button is in the shape of an arrow pointing to the right. Ifthe second person presses the right arrow on his gaming device once thefirst person has pressed the left arrow on his gaming device, then thegaming devices of the first and second persons may be joined into agroup. There are, of course many other shapes and possible labels forthe arrow buttons described in the foregoing example. Buttons may besituated on the front panel of a gaming device, on the side panels, ormay be designated portions of the display screen of the gaming device.Each gaming device may have multiple buttons, each button fordesignating a different gaming device with which to join in group play.For example, a gaming device might have a button on its left side forjoining with a gaming device to its left, and a button on its right sidefor joining with a gaming device to its right.

When a first person has pressed, for example, an arrow key (or button400) pointing to the gaming device on his left, so as to invite a secondperson on his left to join in group play, the arrow key may remain lit.In some embodiments, a corresponding arrow on the second person's gamingdevice may begin to flash, and/or provide some other indication that thefirst person is requesting the initiation of group play. If the secondperson declines group play, the arrow key on the first person's machinemay become unlit and the arrow key on the second person's device maystop flashing and remain unlit. If, however, the second person agrees togroup play, then the arrow key on the first person's gaming device mayremain lit and the arrow key on the second person's device may stopflashing and remain lit. The lit arrow may serve as an indicator thatthe first player and the second player are involved in group play. Thus,the first person need not be surprised when any of the payouts hereceives are different than those he would have received when playing asan individual. Similarly, the second person's gaming device may have alit arrow pointing to the first person's gaming device.

FIG. 4 illustrates a gaming device 104 with arrow keys 400 forinitiating group play with gaming devices to the left or to the right ofthe illustrated gaming device. In FIG. 4, the left arrow is lit (shadedin the drawing), indicating that the illustrated gaming device is ingroup play with the gaming device (not shown) to its left. It will beappreciated that many other indicators are possible, both for indicatingthat a particular gaming device is involved in group play, and forindicating with which other gaming device it is involved in group play.Other indicators may include: backlit text 500 saying, “Group Play inProgress,” a flashing light beneath text saying “Group Play”, thebroadcasting of prerecorded or synthesized voices saying, “Group play,”colored illuminated floor tiles displaying the same color, overheadlighting illuminating the gaming devices involved in group play in adistinctive manner, and so on. In some embodiments, gaming devices thatare involved in group play together may be displayed in or displaythemselves using similar colors, patterns, lighting, or other markings.For example, two gaming devices involved in group play may both havepurple screens, whereas normally all similar gaming devices have orangescreens. In some embodiments, a person's gaming device may display a mapof the casino floor, or a portion thereof, indicating on the maplocations of other gaming devices that are in the same group as theperson's gaming device. In some embodiments, linked gaming devicesinvolved in group play may have red illuminated floor tiles surroundingthem, while uninvolved gaming devices are surrounded by unlit floortiles.

In some embodiments, the casino server 102 itself may initiate theformation and registration of a group. The casino server 102 mayinitiate the formation of a group amongst users that it determines wouldbe appropriate for a group. Group formation may be initiated among, forexample, users who have arrived together at a casino; users who haveelected to play at designated “linked play” gaming devices; users whomeet qualifying gaming criteria (i.e. the first five players to enter abonus round on their gaming device); users who have eaten together;users who are rooming together; users who have consistently gambled inproximity to one another; users who's addresses indicate that they livenear one another, or even in the same home or building; users who belongto the same family (e.g. as indicated by a common last name); and userswho have previously belonged to the same group. In addition, the casinomay initiate the formation of a group among people who, by allindications, probably do not know each other. However, there may be somecommonality between the people, leading the casino server 102 toconclude that the people would be willing to form a group together. Thepeople may, for example, have similar demographic characteristics,similar gambling or dining preferences, and so on.

In some embodiments, the casino server 102 may encourage the formationof groups so as dispose of excess inventories. For instance, a casinomay project that ten hotel rooms will go unfilled for the night.Therefore, the casino may encourage the formation of a group that maywin hotel room stays as group prizes. Similarly, a casino may use extrashow tickets, extra restaurant capacity, or excess goods from thecasino's logo store as group prizes. The casino may also want moregaming devices 104, 106, 108 to be utilized during off hours, forexample. By encouraging the formation of groups, a casino can ensurethat each group member uses a gaming device 104 during the group'speriod of activity. Further, the casino may also encourage a group toplay in one area of the casino that is less crowded so as to alleviatecrowding in another area.

In some embodiments, the casino may encourage a particular person toenter into a playing group in order to increase the person's amount ofplay. For example, there may be a player that typically plays for onlyone hour per day at a particular casino. The casino might therefore wantto encourage the player to join a group with a time commitment of twohours. As another example, there may be a player that typically playsslot machines costing only twenty-five cents per handle pull. The casinomight encourage such a player to join a group that plays at dollar slotmachines, so as to increase that player's gambling expenditures.

In some embodiments, an entry fee may be charged as part of the processof forming and registering a playing group. A playing group as a whole,or individual group members may be required to pay the casino server 102for the privilege of playing as a group. For example, each group membermight pay two tokens to join a group. The two-token entry fee may beseen as compensation for the casino server 102 for facilitating groupplay by tracking group results, maintaining lines of communicationbetween group members, distributing winnings, etc. The casino server 102may or may not then receive further compensation from the group or fromgroup members. In some embodiments, additional compensation for thecasino server 102 might include, for example, a percentage of a commonpool put up by group members, a percentage of prizes won by groupmembers due to the simultaneous attainment of particular outcomes, apercentage of a bet won from one group by another, and so on.

Other criteria that may be required to be met before a user is allowedto join a group may include a requirement that the user eat at thecasino's restaurant, that the user have a room at the casino hotel,and/or that the user have spent a certain amount of money at thecasino's store. In some embodiments, a user may be required to attain aparticular symbol or outcome in order to gain admittance to a group. Insome embodiments, a user's winnings from one gambling session may serveas an entry fee into a group. Group members may in some embodiments onlybe admitted by paying the entry fee from gambling winnings. In someembodiments, a user may be required to use comp points to gain entryinto a group.

In some embodiments, there may be no entry fee or the casino may evenpay people to join groups. A casino might be motivated to pay people tojoin groups because group members may engage in a significant amount ofgambling activity. For instance, if a group session is to last for twohours, a casino might expect to earn $60 from the gambling activities ofeach group member, and might therefore be willing to pay a person $20 inthe form of cash or premiums to join the group.

Once a group has formed, the casino server 102 may create an entry forthe group in a group database 210 such as that depicted in FIG. 12. Asdiscussed above, a group database 210 may identify the members of agroup, any common characteristics of the group members, and the sessionsin which the group has participated.

2. Establishing a Group Objective and a Group Format

In Step S2, the casino server 102, casino, and/or group establishes thegroup objective and group format for the group. The objective of a groupmay include the prizes the group plays for and the criteria necessary towin prizes. The group format may describe the guidelines the groupmembers are required to follow and the structure of the group. The groupformat may also include ways in which prizes will be distributed amonggroup members, the times during which group play may occur, the amountgroup members may be required to gamble, and so on.

It is important to note that participation in some embodiments of groupplay may not necessarily drastically alter a group member's gamingexperience. For example, a group might have the objective of achieving$200 in net winnings among the group members over the course of an hour.If the group achieves the $200 mark, then each group member receives afree night's stay at the casino's hotel. During the hour-long groupsession, although each group member's winnings are counted towards thegroup's goal, each individual group member may still pay wagers out ofhis own funds, and may still keep any winnings for himself. Therefore,in this example embodiment, group play has served as an overlay to thetypical gaming experience, not a complete alteration.

In some embodiments, the objective and format of a group may be chosenby the casino server 102 and/or by the group members themselves. Forexample, each member of the group may vote on a group leader. The groupleader may then communicate to the casino server 102 his desiredobjective for the group. (Presumably, the group leader's views representthose of the other group members as well, since they elected him.) Thegroup leader may navigate a set of screens or menus on a Web site of thecasino server 102. The group leader may, for example, select groupformat and objective options such as: an amount of betting group membersare required to make, the types of games group members are required toplay, the times during which group members are required to gamble, theresults the group members are required to achieve in order to win prizes(e.g. net winnings of $100, 3 “cherry-cherry-cherry” outcomes within 2minutes, etc.), the group prizes, other incentives to be provided togroup members (e.g. T-shirts, hats, free breakfast, etc.), whether groupmembers are to compete amongst themselves, against the casino, oragainst another group, the amount of money each group member is requiredto put into a separate pool to be allotted as prizes, and the proportionin which prizes will be allocated to a first, second, third, etc. winnerin a competition among group members.

There are many other objective and format items that might be chosen. Ofcourse, any of these could be chosen by individual group members as wellas by a group leader. The choice most popular among the group memberscould then be put into practice by the casino server 102. Thus, if mostgroup members wanted the group's session to be from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm,then the casino server 102 would communicate to the group members thatthe session is, in fact, to be from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Alternatively,users may choose different aspects of a group format they desire, andthen they may be placed by the casino server 102 into different groupsaccordingly. The group leader or group members may choose the format andobjectives using, for example, personal computer terminals connected tothe casino server's Web site via the Internet, using gaming devices 104,106, 108, (112, 114), using phones, using email, or using any other modeof communication.

Once a casino server 102 has received information about a group's formatand a group's objective, the casino server 102 may store suchinformation in a group session database 212 such as depicted in FIG. 13.Note that in the particular example group session database 212 of FIG.13, a different format and a different objective is assigned to eachgroup session, even if two sessions are for the same group. This allowsa group to have a different format and a different objective fromsession to session.

(a) Combinations of Outcomes

In some embodiments, playing group members may win prizes based on thecombination of gambling outcomes obtained by individual group members.For example, if at least two group members achieve a straight flush ontheir respective gaming devices within a set time period, then the twogroup members or the group as a whole may receive an especially largeprize. In another example embodiment, if all five members of a groupachieve seven cherries between them on a single designated handle pull,then the group as a whole wins $200.

In some embodiments, individual group members' outcomes may be combinedtogether in an attempt to win larger prizes in many different ways. Forexample, outcomes may be combined by adding two or more group members'net or gross winnings for a given time period and then comparing the sumto a threshold. The group members may receive a prize if the sum exceedsthe threshold. Net or gross winnings may not only be added, but insteadcombined using any number of other functions. For example, groupmembers' winnings may be averaged or multiplied. The standard deviationof group members' winnings may be determined. Any other function ofgroup members' net or gross winnings may be calculated. In addition, thecriteria for winning a prize may be something other than a comparisonwith a threshold. For example, the sum of group members' gross winningsmay be required to be an even multiple of 100 tokens for the group toget a 50-token bonus.

Other potential methods of combining outcomes according to the presentinvention include group objectives that require two or more groupmembers have simultaneous or proximate winning outcomes, require adefined number of outcomes to be accumulated within a defined timeperiod by the group; require two or more group members have simultaneousor proximate losing outcomes, require two or more group members havesimultaneous or proximate identical outcomes (regardless of whether theoutcomes are winning outcomes), require two or more group members havesimultaneous or proximate outcomes that pay the same amount, require twoor more group members each have predetermined length streaks of winning(or losing) outcomes, require two or more group members have streaks ofwinning (or losing) outcomes that combine to a certain predeterminedlength, and/or require two or more group members have streaks duringwhich each group member made a synchronized handle pull with the othergroup members, and for each set of synchronous pulls, at least one ofthe group members achieved a winning (or losing) outcome.

In the above examples, the terms “simultaneous” and “proximate” mayrefer to a number of specific events that lead up to the generation of afinal outcome. These events may include, for example, the initiation ofa handle pull, the determination of an outcome, the display of anoutcome, the resolution of an outcome, the initiation of a playerdecision, and/or the completion of a player decision. The initiation ofa handle pull, for example, includes a user pulling the handle of a slotmachine or pressing a “spin” button.

The determination of an outcome includes, for example, the processor ofthe gaming device 104 executing a program that generates one or morerandom numbers. The random numbers are then matched to a correspondingoutcome using a table of outcomes stored in memory. The outcome may be aprimary outcome or any secondary outcome. For instance, in one variantof video poker, the primary outcome is the first five cards dealt to aplayer. A secondary outcome includes a player's hand after his discardsare replaced with new cards. In slot machine embodiments, a primaryoutcome may be an entry into a bonus round, and a secondary outcome maybe the resolution of the bonus round, where the player finds out theamount of his prize and receives the prize.

The display of an outcome includes, for example, the reels of a slotmachine stopping with the determined outcome displayed along the payline. Once again, the outcome may be a primary outcome or any secondaryoutcome. The resolution of an outcome may occur, for example, when thegaming device 104 pays the player based on the outcome by, for example,dropping coins into the player's tray, or adding credits to the player'scredit meter. Resolution may also occur when a gaming device 104indicates readiness for a new wager. For instance, buttons fordesignating wager amounts light up when the gaming device 104 is readyfor a new handle pull. The initiation of a player decision includes, forexample, the player choosing his first discard in a game of video poker.The completion of a player decision includes, for instance, the playerhaving chosen all his discards in video poker and hitting the “deal”button.

As the following example illustrates, it may be important for a casinoto be careful in choosing what events to reference when awarding prizesbased on the simultaneous occurrence of outcomes. Suppose that thecasino offers to award a $1000 prize to a two-person group of videopoker players if both players obtain a straight-flush and both resolvethe outcome within two seconds of one another. Suppose further that onceone player obtains four cards to a straight-flush, he simply waitsbefore choosing his discard. He continues waiting until the other groupmember achieves a straight-flush. Only then does he quickly choose hisdiscard and have his outcome resolved. Using this procedure, the groupcan obtain straight-flushes simultaneously much more frequently than maybe intended by the casino. To prevent one group member from waiting foranother, in some embodiments, the casino might specify that for twooutcomes to count as occurring simultaneously, the handle pulls (ordealt cards) are required to have been initiated simultaneously.

Alternatively, a casino may restrict a group member from waiting morethan a predetermined amount of time after the resolution of an outcomebefore making his next spin. Suppose, for example, that group member Aachieves “bar-bar-bar”. Now if his fellow group member, B, also achieves“bar-bar-bar,” then A and B will split a $2000 bonus prize. Therefore Awaits, hoping that B will achieve “bar-bar-bar.” A may however, berestricted from waiting too long using one or more of the followingmethods.

In some embodiments, A's gaming device may automatically spin the reelsof A's gaming device thirty seconds after A has achieved “bar-bar-bar”.Then, A's gaming device will no longer show “bar-bar-bar.”

In some embodiments, the screen of A's gaming device may simply go dark.Thus, once again, A's gaming device will no longer show “bar-bar-bar.”

In some embodiments, A or B's gaming devices may disable an indicatorfor group play on A and/or B's gaming devices thirty seconds after A hasachieved “bar-bar-bar.” For example, if a large backlit text display 500on A's gaming device says “Group Play In Progress,” then the samedisplay may be darkened after thirty seconds during which A does notspin.

In some embodiments, B's gaming device may prevent B from initiating ahandle pull more than 30 seconds after A has achieved “bar-bar-bar”. Inthis way, it no longer does A any good to wait for B, since B cannotspin.

In some embodiments, once a first group member has achieved an outcomethat may contribute to a bonus combination of outcomes, e.g. a“bar-bar-bar” where a prize is paid when two group members achieve“bar-bar-bar”, then a clock or timer 508 may appear on the gamingdevices of other group members. The clock 508 may begin, for example, atthirty seconds and count down. The clock 508 thereby shows the othergroup members how long they have in order to achieve an outcome thatwill combine with the outcome already achieved by the first group memberin order to garner a prize for the group. When the clock 508 gets tozero, time has run out for achieving a complementary outcome, and thefirst group member may as well spin again. FIG. 5 illustrates a gamingdevice 106 with group play in progress. The gaming device 106 of FIG. 5shows an outcome, “7-7-7,” of another group member, named “John,” on itsmiddle panel 502, together with a clock 508. In this example, the linkedgroup member at the illustrated gaming device 106 must achieve his ownoutcome of “7-7-7” within the 23 seconds left on the clock 508 in orderto qualify the group to receive the group prize. A clock 508 may alsoappear on the gaming device 104 of the first group member, though he hasstopped spinning, so that he may be entertained, and so that he may knowwhen time has run out so that he may start spinning again. Note thatdifferent people may be capable of spinning at different rates. Thirtyseconds may be enough time for one person to make ten spins, while itwill be only be enough time for another person to make three spins.Therefore, a second group member may be allowed to make at least acertain minimum number of spins once a first group member has achieved asignificant outcome and has paused his spinning. In some embodiments,the second group member may be allowed the minimum number of spins evenif it takes him longer than thirty seconds to make them. In someembodiments, when a first group member achieves an outcome that has thepotential to contribute to a larger outcome, the first group member maystop spinning, whereupon a second group member may purchase a fixednumber of spins to be made in an attempt to attain a complementaryoutcome. If the second group member does not achieve a complementaryoutcome within the fixed number of spins, then the first group member'soutcome may no longer serve as the basis for a winning group outcome. Insome cases, the second group member may enable a “rapid play” mode onhis gaming device once the first group member achieves a significantoutcome. The rapid play mode may cause the gaming device to spin at somemaximum rate in an attempt to achieve a complementary outcome to that ofthe first group member. In rapid play mode, the gaming device mayautomatically deduct credits from the second group member's balance inorder to pay for the automatic spins.

In some embodiments, once a first group member has achieved asignificant outcome, and a clock 508 has appeared on the screen of asecond group member, the clock's countdown may be halted if the secondgroup member achieves a complementary outcome, winning the group prize.In this way, it is clear that the group has won the group prize withinthe allotted time period, since the clock 508 has frozen before itreached zero.

In some embodiments, a first group member who achieves an outcome thatmight contribute to a group bonus need not wait for other group membersto achieve complementary outcomes. Rather, the casino server keeps arecord of the outcome achieved by the first group member, and the timeat which it was achieved, and the first group member may continuespinning. If another group member later achieves a complementary outcomewithin a predetermined time interval, then the group receives a groupprize. In some cases, even if the first group member achieves acomplementary outcome within the predetermined time interval, the groupmay still receive a group prize.

In some embodiments, a player's prior outcomes may remain displayed onhis screen for a predetermined amount of time, or for a predeterminednumber of handle pulls. In this way, a player may obtain an outcome thatmay contribute to reaching a group objective, but may then continue tospin. However, since the player's prior outcomes are displayed on hisscreen, he remains aware that his group can achieve the group prize if afellow group member achieves a complementary outcome. A player's prioroutcomes may disappear, in some embodiments, only when another groupmember would no longer be able to achieve a complementary outcome (e.g.because time has run out). A first group member's prior outcomes mayalso be displayed on the screen 308 of a second group member's gamingdevice 104. The second group member, upon seeing that the first groupmember has achieved a designated outcome, may redouble his efforts inorder to achieve a complementary outcome.

In some embodiments, two or more gaming devices may be put into groupmode, in which the gaming devices initiate handle pulls automatically ona periodic basis, e.g. every seven seconds. As part of the process ofinitiating handle pulls, each gaming device may automatically deduct theamount of a standard wager from the credit balance on the device.Therefore, each gaming device may require a certain minimum number ofcredits to be present in the gaming device before group play can beinitiated.

In some embodiments, if the gaming devices achieve outcomes whichcombine to result in a bonus payout, then all the gaming devices refrainfrom spinning automatically until the bonus is paid out.

In some embodiments, in addition to automatically deducting a wager foreach handle pull, the gaming devices may deduct coins from the gamingdevices to pay for group play. Coins may be deducted from allparticipating gaming devices, from a subset of all participating gamingdevices, on every pull, and/or on a periodic basis.

In some embodiments, any one of the players may terminate group mode atany time, e.g. by touching any of the buttons on the gaming device.

When all four of these features are combined, the resulting embodimenthas the advantage of allowing the pulls of the gaming devices in thegroup to be synchronized, making it easier for players to understand thecircumstances under which prizes will be paid. Namely, in one example,group prizes might be paid only if two different gaming devices achievethe same designated outcome on the same spin. If spins were notsynchronized, a player might be confused as to which spin on his gamingdevice corresponds to a given spin on a fellow group member's gamingdevice, for the purposes of paying group prizes.

The ability to award prizes based on the occurrence of combinations ofoutcomes on multiple gaming devices overcomes a significant disadvantageof many individual gaming devices. On many gaming devices, even thehighest paying outcome may have a 1 in 10,000 or 1 in 100,000 chance ofoccurring. This prevents the gaming device, in the former case, frompaying more than 10,000 tokens for the highest payout, and prevents thegaming device 104 from paying more than 100,000 tokens in the lattercase (assuming a one-token wager). This is because, if a one-token wagercan win more than 10,000 tokens for an outcome that has a 1 in 10,000chance of occurring, then the expected payout for the one-token wager ismore than one token. Thus, the gaming device 104 would be unprofitablefor the casino.

The combination of outcomes from multiple gaming devices overcomes theproblem of outcomes occurring too frequently to offer a highcorresponding payout. A casino could, for example, offer a onemillion-token payout to a group of four people if all obtained theoutcome of “orange-orange-orange” on the same spin. Even though theoutcome of “orange-orange-orange” may be fairly common on an individualgaming device, say 1 in 100, the chances of four gaming devices eachobtaining “orange-orange-orange” on the same spin would be very small.In this case the chances would be 1 in 100.sup.4, or 1 in 100 million.Therefore, the casino could safely offer a chance at the one milliontoken prize to the group.

Many different combinations of outcomes may result in group prizes beingpaid to group members. The following is an exemplary list:

In some video poker embodiments, combinations of two or more groupmembers' hands that must result in a long sequence of consecutive cardsmay be used as a low probability “combination outcome” for group prizes.For example, a first player holds a hand of “2 3 4 5 6,” and a secondplayer holds “7 8 9 10 Jack,” making, what may be termed, a“super-straight.” Even longer straights are possible if so called “wraparound” straights are permitted. For example, a combined hand couldinclude “2 3 4 5 6; 7 8 9 10 Jack; Queen King Ace 2 3.” Note that notall cards in group members' hands may contribute to the combinedoutcome. For example, hands with “2 3 4 5 6” and “7 8 9 10 King” maycombine to make a nine-card straight: “2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10.” Also notethat in some embodiments each player's hand may be required to standalone as a winning outcome, e.g. as a straight, while in otherembodiments each hand need not stand alone. In the latter case, twohands such as “2 3 4 5 9” and “6 7 8 10 Jack” may combine to form asuper-straight, even though neither hand alone is a winning outcome.

In some video poker embodiments, combinations of two or more groupmembers' hands that must result in numerous cards of a like suit, i.e.“super-flushes” may be used as a low probability “combination outcome”for group prizes. As with super-straights, not all of each player'scards need contribute. Also, super-flushes containing repetitive cardsmay or may not be allowed. For example, “2s 4s 5s 7s 9s 10s Js Ks Ks As”may not be permitted because it contains two kings of spades.

In some video poker or reel slots embodiments, combinations of outcomesthat must result in numerous like symbols may be used as a lowprobability “combination outcome” for group prizes. For example, invideo poker, a combination of hands containing eight two's or sevenkings. In reel slots, a combination of outcomes might contain four bars,five bells, six cherries, etc. Once again, individual groupmembers'outcomes may or may not be combinable if, alone, they are notwinning outcomes. For example, in one embodiment, an outcome of threebars may be combined with an outcome containing one bar to create anoutcome with four bars. However, two outcomes, each containing two bars,may not be combinable, since outcomes with only two bars are notgenerally winning outcomes.

In some embodiments, the order of symbols within two separate outcomesmay be used to determine whether or not they may be combined, and/orwhat the value of the combined outcome will be. As an example, supposeplayer A and player B, sitting to the right of A, are both playingthree-reel slots. On the same spin, both achieve outcomes containing twobars and another irrelevant symbol. Now, if A's outcome is “x-bar-bar”and B's outcome is “bar-bar-x,” then A and B's outcomes may becombinable into a larger outcome, since, when B's outcome is put on theright side of A's outcome, the four bars are adjacent:“x-bar-bar-bar-bar-x.” However, if A's outcome was “bar-bar-x”, then thecombined outcome would read: “bar-bar-x-bar-bar-x,” which might notqualify for a group prize, since the four bar symbols are not adjacent.

A potentially confusing situation may arise when two or more groupmembers play at gaming devices of different varieties. For example, onegaming device 104 may use fruit symbols and another may use symbols withan ancient Egyptian theme (e.g. mummies, pyramids, gold, etc.). Or onegaming device 104 is a reel slot machine and another is a video pokermachine. When two or more group members utilize dissimilar gamingdevices, in some embodiments the casino server 102 may explicitlydescribe what outcome at a first gaming device, and what outcome at asecond gaming can be obtained in combination so as to win a prize forthe group. For instance, a group may receive a $1000 bonus prize when afirst group member achieves an outcome of “bell-bell-bell” at a reelslot machine and a second group member achieves an outcome offour-of-a-kind at a video poker within one minute of the first groupmember's outcome. Therefore, when a group or when group members registerwith the casino server, the casino server 102 may display to the groupmembers a table indicating the combinations of outcomes that might beachieved in order to win group prizes. An example of such a display isdepicted in the table 900 of FIG. 9. In FIG. 9, the first and thirdcolumns 902, 906 show outcomes that win prizes for the group or certaingroup members if the outcomes are attained in temporal proximity to oneanother. The fifth column 910 shows the prize won when the outcomes areobtained in temporal proximity. The second and fourth columns 904, 908show the payouts for the outcomes when they occur alone.

Another embodiment that allows two group members to play at gamingdevices of different varieties and still combine outcomes, specifiesoutcomes in terms of their respective payouts. For example, two groupmembers may be required to simultaneously obtain outcomes with payoutsof $50 or more in order for the group to win a large prize. In such anembodiment it does not matter at what specific games the outcomes wereobtained. If outcomes are specified in terms of dollars, or in terms oftokens, a wager size may also be specified. For example, two groupmembers, making wagers of $1 or less, may be required to simultaneouslyobtain outcomes with payouts of $50 or greater in order for the group towin a large prize. If a wager size were not specified, a group membermight make a wager of $25, in which case it might be fairly easy to hita payout over $50. Alternatively, an outcome may be specified in termsof the ratio of the payout to the wager. For example, an outcome may bespecified as “50:1”. In such an embodiment, a wager size need not bespecified.

Some prizes that one or more members of a linked play group may wininclude cash, credits, gambling tokens, free or discounted rooms, freeor discounted show tickets, free or discounted meals, free or discountedmerchandise from a casino's shops or affiliated merchants, increasedodds of winning particular outcomes, extra winning outcomes, free spins,extra pay lines, increased credit lines, priority on the use ofparticular gaming devices, priority on getting tables at casinorestaurants, priority on getting tickets to shows, priority on sittingdown at table games, a donation to charity on behalf of the group,and/or recognition. A group member may be recognized by having his nameand/or image displayed to other group members as the winner of acompetition. The winner may also be announced to people outside of thegroup, such as to other casino patrons. Note that the above prizes maybe awarded as a prize for any type of linked play, not just combinationsof outcomes type embodiments.

When a playing group, or playing group members have the opportunity towin prizes based on a combination of individuals' outcomes, there may bea risk that the casino will have to pay out a larger amount of moneythan would be indicated by individual gaming devices' hold percentages.For example, suppose each member of a five-person playing group gamblesat an identical slot machine with a 5% hold percentage. With a 5% holdpercentage, each gaming device 104 pays an average of 0.95 tokens inpayouts for every token wagered. If the playing group now has theopportunity to win a 300-token bonus prize when any two group membersreceive the outcomes of “cherry-cherry-cherry” within the same second,then the effective hold percentage of the group of five gaming devicesmay go down. The effective hold percentage may be reduced to, forexample, 1%, or even to a negative percentage.

To offset the reduction in gaming devices' effective hold percentagesresulting from payouts awarded for combinations of outcomes, the payoutsfor individual outcomes may be reduced. For example, suppose that thetypical payout for a “cherry-cherry-cherry” outcome is 20 tokens. If anadditional prize of 300 tokens is awarded to a five-person playing groupwhen any two gaming devices hit “cherry-cherry-cherry” within one secondof each other, then the payout for “cherry-cherry-cherry” occurring on asingle gaming device 104 may be reduced from 20 tokens to 10 tokens. Inthis way, a group member may not profit as much as he would have playingas an individual when his own gaming device 104 hits a winning outcome.However, in a linked play system, when a second group member hits awinning outcome at the same time as a first group member, then the firstgroup member profits by a lot more than he would have playing as anindividual.

In some embodiments, the effective decrease in hold percentages due tothe payment of prizes based on combinations of outcomes may be nearly orexactly offset by the decrease in payouts for outcomes achievedindividually. In the above example, the awarding of a 300 token payoutto a group of five members when two or more group members achieve“cherry-cherry-cherry” may decrease the effective hold percentage of thegaming device 104 by 4%. However, the halving of the payout for“cherry-cherry-cherry” from 20 tokens to 10 tokens may increase theeffective hold percentage of the gaming device 104 by 4%. Thus theeffects of group play and the reduction in payouts for individualoutcomes cancel each other, and the effective hold percentage of thegaming device 104 remains the same.

The following example illustrates how a decrease in a gaming device'seffective hold percentage due to the awarding of bonus prizes may beoffset. Suppose Tim and Robert form a two-person group. The format ofthe group allows them to make 100 spins each, with a wager of 1 tokenper spin, on a 3-reel fruit slot machine. In this example, the slotmachine has the following payout structure, (taken from “Winning At SlotMachines,” by Jim Regan, Pub. Lyle Stuart, 1985; ISBN: 0806509732),which is incorporated herein by reference:

Outcome 0 2 2 5 5 5 20 10 10 20* 14 14 20 18 18 20 50 100 Hits 8570 680680 200 200 68 20 42 6 42 20 5 50 4 20 20 20 1

In the above table, “Outcome” represents the number of tokens paid, and“Hits” represents the number of times the corresponding outcome would beexpected to occur in 10,648 spins, or a complete cycle of the slotmachine. The probability of each outcome occurring on a single spin canbe found by dividing the “Hits” entry by 10,648. For example, theprobability of the outcome that pays 100 tokens appearing on a singlespin is1/10,648≈29.39*10⁻⁵Now, if Tim inserts a single token into the slot machine, his expectedwinning are given by:EV=0*8570/10,648+2*680/10,648+2*680/10,648+5*200/10,648+ . . .+100*1/10,648≈20.945Therefore, for every token Tim inserts, he can expect to receive 0.945tokens back, making for a hold percentage of:1−0.945≈0.055, or 5.5%

Continuing with the example, in the group formed by Tim and Robert,Tim's spins are numbered from 1 to 100, and so are Robert's. Supposethat if Tim and Robert both achieve the outcome of“orange-orange-orange” on like numbered spins, then each will receive abonus payout of 10,000 tokens. For example, if Tim and Robert each get“orange-orange-orange” on spin number 27, then both receive 10,000 bonustokens in addition to the payout received for “orange-orange-orange”.The “*” in the table above represents the outcome“orange-orange-orange”. As can be seen, the probability of“orange-orange-orange” occurring on any single spin is given by42/10,64≈80.00394, or 0.394%

To find the effective hold percentage of Tim's machine with the bonuspayout structure in place, the probability of Tim and Robert achieving“orange-orange-orange” on the same spin is determined. Since theoutcomes of the spins are independent, the probability is just theproduct of the probabilities of achieving “orange-orange-orange” on asingle spin:(42/10,648)*(42/10,648)≈1.56*10⁻⁵, or 0.00156%Therefore, on every spin, Tim wins 10,000 tokens with probability1.5610.sup.-5, for an additional expected payout of10,000*1.56*10⁻⁵≈0.156 tokensThe total expected payout of Tim's machine becomes0.945+0.156≈1.10 tokensfor every token inserted. The hold percentage has become1−1.10≈−10%This is not good for the casino, since it now expects to pay out morethan it takes in, resulting in a loss for the casino. There are severalpossible remedies.

One remedy for the negative effective hold percentage of Tim andRobert's slot machines is to charge Tim and Robert an entry fee. Sinceeach will make 100 spins, and the casino can expect to lose 0.10 tokensper player per spin, the casino can justify charging an entry fee of,say, 0.15 tokens per spin, or $15 per player for the entire session.When the entry fee is factored in, the hold percentage for the machinebecomes1−1.10+0.15≈5%which is more satisfactory for the casino.

Another remedy for the negative hold percentage is to reduce some of theexisting payouts. For example, the existing expected payout for eachplayer derived from the “orange-orange-orange” outcome (not includingthe bonus payout) is given by the probability of achieving“orange-orange-orange” times the payout for “orange-orange-orange”, or42/10,648*20≈0.0789 tokensThis payout for an occurrence of “orange-orange-orange” on only one ofthe two machines during a single spin can be eliminated entirely, makingthe hold percentage of each slot machine:1−(1.10−0.0789)≈−2.17%This hold percentage is still unsatisfactory to the casino, as it isstill expects to lose more than 2% of all tokens taken in. So the casinocan make further adjustments to the payout table. For instance, in theabove table, the outcome in the third column from the left represents“cherry-any-any”. The payout for “cherry-any-any” is 2 and theprobability of the outcome occurring is 680/10,648. If the payout for“cherry-any-any” is reduced to 1, then the expected payout for theplayer on each spin is reduced by an additional680/10,648*1≈0.0639 tokensThe effective hold percentage for each slot machine now becomes:1−(1.10−0.0789−0.0639)≈0.042, or 4.2%This may be acceptable to the casino. The new pay structure of the slotmachines of Tim and Robert now looks like:

Outcome 0 1 2 5 5 5 20 10 10 0* 14 14 20 18 18 20 50 100 Hits 8570 680680 200 200 68 20 42 6 42 20 5 50 4 20 20 20 1Although one payout has been reduced, and another eliminated, the bonuspayout for the simultaneous occurrence of “orange-orange-orange” hasgiven Tim and Rob a higher expected payout on every spin, and thepossibility of achieving a payout 100 times larger than anything thatwas originally possible.

Still another remedy for the negative expected payout is to require oneor more linked group members to insert an extra coin in order to enableadditional payouts or bonuses associated with group play. In the priorexample, using the unmodified pay table, it has been demonstrated thatthe hold percentage of Tim's machine is −10% when Tim and Robert arepaid a 10,000 token group prize upon the simultaneous occurrence of“orange-orange-orange” on both of their gaming devices. Suppose that Timand Robert may only enable group play if they are both wagering fivetokens per pull in their individual games. Their corresponding pay tableis now five times as much:

Outcome 0 10 10 25 25 25 100 50 50 100 70 70 100 90 90 100 250 500 Hits8570 680 680 200 200 68 20 42 6 42 20 5 50 4 20 20 20 1

Additionally, the bonus is now five times as much, namely 50,000 tokenseach if both receive “orange-orange-orange” on like numbered spins.Since all payouts, including the bonus, have increased by a multiple of5, the gaming device returns an average of 5 times what was calculatedin the prior example, namely:5×1.10=5.50The average wager is now five coins. So the hold percentage of thegaming device is still:(5−5.50)/5=−10%Now suppose that Tim and Robert must each insert a sixth coin on everyhandle pull to enable group play. Now the average wager is six coins.The hold percentage of the gaming device is now:(6−5.50)/6=8.3%which is more acceptable to the casino. If the sixth coin is not countedas a wager, but rather a flat fee, the effective hold percentagebecomes:(5+1−5.5)/5=10%which is also more acceptable to the casino.

The following is an exemplary list of methods by which members of agroup may fund extra payouts associated with group play:

-   -   Each member of a group inserts an extra coin on every handle        pull. Thus, for instance, if each group member is playing a        single pay line, then each group member may be required to        insert one coin to enable the single pay line, and an additional        coin to enable group play, on every handle pull. If each group        member is playing three pay lines, then each group member may be        required to insert four coins for each handle pull.    -   Each group member inserts an extra coin per enabled pay line.        Thus, a group member playing three pay lines would need to        insert two coins for each pay line, one for the typical wager,        and one to enable group play with respect to the pay line.    -   Only a subset of the group members insert an extra coin on every        handle pull. For example, if a group consists of two members,        then only one member needs to insert a coin on every handle        pull. It may not matter which group member does so. In some        embodiments, the linked gaming devices require alternate group        members to insert coins on every handle pull, so as to maintain        fairness among the different group members. The subset of group        members who must insert a coin may not consist of only one group        member. In some embodiments two out of say, five group members        must insert a coin on every handle pull. In general, any        proportion of group members may be required to insert a coin on        each handle pull in order to enable extra payouts and bonuses        associated with group play.    -   Each member of a group inserts an extra coin every ten handle        pulls, every fifteen handle pulls, etc.    -   Only a subset of group members inserts an extra coin every ten        handle pulls, fifteen handle pulls, etc.    -   Each member of a group inserts an extra coin every two minutes,        five minutes, or on some other regular time interval.    -   Only a subset of group members inserts an extra coin every two        minutes, five minutes, or on some other regular time interval.

In some embodiments, one or more group members may have to insert morethan one coin per handle pull, per group of handle pulls, etc.Additionally, it should be noted that instead of inserting coins toenable group play, a group member may authorize the deduction of thecoin from a credit balance stored on the gaming device. In someembodiments, when group play is enabled, the gaming device mayautomatically deduct coins from a group member's credit balance. Forexample, every twenty handle pulls, the gaming device may deduct a coinfrom a group member's gaming device. The group member may have had topreauthorize the automatic deduction, e.g. by signing an area on thetouch screen, or the group member may have implicitly authorized theautomatic deduction when registering for group play. In someembodiments, the gaming device may ask for the group member's approvalbefore deducting a coin for group play.

In some embodiments, the gaming device may fund the prizes associatedwith group play by withholding a portion of a player's wagers or payoutsin accordance with predetermined rules. The average amount withheld froma player may thereby compensate the gaming device for the amount ofmoney it will pay out to groups for any bonuses awarded based on thecombination of outcomes. Note that, in many embodiments, any groupprizes are paid in addition to the payouts paid for any standard winningoutcomes. Therefore, in the absence of a source of funding, the paymentof group bonuses might reduce casino profits. The following areexemplary rules, sometimes referred to as “taxes,” by which the gamingdevice may withhold money from a player to fund group prizes:

-   -   A gaming device may withhold from a player any payout that would        bring a player's net winnings for a session above a        predetermined threshold. For example, suppose a player has begun        a session at a $1 gaming device by inserting a $50 bill and        thereby receiving 50 credits in his credit balance. The player        has been playing for twenty minutes, has been doing reasonably        well, and now has a credit balance of 145. The player's net        winnings for the session thus far are 145−50=95 credits,        assuming the player has neither inserted new money, nor cashed        out any credits since beginning the session. Now, suppose that        the gaming device has a “tax” rule in place whereby it withholds        from a player any winnings that would bring a player's net        winnings for a session over 100 credits. So, if the player with        95 credits in net winnings for the session now gets an outcome        paying 15 credits, then the player may be paid only 5 of the        credits, bringing the player's net winning to 100 credits. The        other 10 credits are withheld by the gaming device, since        payment of the 10 credits would bring the player's net winnings        over 100 credits. Now, suppose that the player makes another $1        wager and loses on the next outcome. His credit balance        decrements by one. His credit balance does not remain at 150,        even though 5 credits had previously been withheld.    -   A gaming device may limit the amount of a player's net winnings        for a session to a predetermined number. With this form of tax,        a player's balance may reflect net winnings exceeding the        predetermined number. However, at the end of the session, or at        the end of any other predetermined time interval, the player        will only receive net winnings up to the predetermined number.        For example, if the player ends a session with a balance        reflecting net winnings of $200, and the gaming device has        limited net winnings to $100 for a session, then the player may        only receive $100 of his $200 in net winnings when he cashes        out. If the player is not playing in credit mode, then the        gaming device may simply not pay the player any winnings that        would bring his net winnings for a session over the        predetermined number. However, in some embodiments, the player        may receive a free spin for every credit that was withheld.    -   A gaming device may withhold a predetermined number of credits        from any payout exceeding a certain threshold. For example, the        gaming device withholds one credit on any payout of more than        four credits.    -   A gaming device may pay the player only the highest payout for        any consecutive sequence of pulls in which the player has won        some credits on each pull in the sequence. For example, suppose        the player has made eight consecutive pulls with the following        resulting payouts: 0, 10, 4, 0, 2, 5, 3, 0. In this tax        embodiment, the player would actually be paid only 10 coins for        the second and third pulls, and 5 coins for the fifth, sixth,        and seventh pulls. This is because the second and third pulls        were consecutive pulls of winning outcomes. Therefore the player        only gets the highest payout of the consecutive pulls, which, in        this example, is 10. Similarly, the highest payout from amongst        the fifth, sixth, and seventh pulls is 5. Now in practice, when        the player receives a winning outcome, the gaming device does        not know whether the next outcome will also be a winning        outcome. Thus, the gaming device cannot know what to pay the        player for the current sequence of winning pulls. Therefore, if        the current payout is the first winning payout in a sequence,        the gaming device may pay the player the full amount of the        payout. If, however, the current payout is not the first winning        outcome in a sequence, then there are two possibilities. In one        possibility, the current payout is the highest payout thus far        in the sequence, in which case the gaming device may pay the        player the difference between the current payout and the next        highest payout already to occur in the sequence. In the second        possibility, the current payout is not the highest payout in the        sequence, in which case the player may be paid nothing, or may        have his wager returned, for a push. Going back to the first        possibility, if the current payout is the highest payout in any        sequence of winning outcomes, then the player may additionally        be paid a single coin for every prior winning outcome present in        the sequence, so as to convert such outcomes to pushes instead        of losses for the player. In other embodiments of this form of        tax, the player is paid only the highest n payouts in any        sequence of winning outcomes in which only m outcomes were        non-winning outcomes, where n and m are non-negative integers,        and m is greater than or equal to n. In still another variation,        the player is paid only for the lowest winning outcome in any        consecutive sequence of winning outcomes, or only for the median        outcome, or only for the modal outcome.    -   In some embodiments, a player may only be paid for the first        winning outcome in any sequence of consecutive winning outcomes.        Subsequent winning outcomes in the sequence may be treated as        pushes, or may be treated as losses. In other variations, the        player is paid only for the second winning outcome in any        consecutive sequence of winning outcomes, or only for the nth        winning outcome in any consecutive sequence of n or more winning        outcomes (here n is a natural number). In the latter variation,        if a consecutive sequence of winning outcomes is less than n,        then a player may be paid only for the last winning outcome, may        be paid for every winning outcome, or may not be paid for any of        the winning outcomes. In another variation, the player is paid        only for the last winning outcome in any consecutive sequence of        winning outcome. In still other variations, the player is paid        only for the first and second winning outcomes in any sequence        of consecutive winning outcomes, or only for the mth and nth,        outcomes, or only for any other combination of winning outcomes.        In still other variations, the player is paid only for the        first, last, or nth outcome in any sequence of outcomes in which        no more than m outcomes are non-winning outcomes. There are many        other possible variations to this tax.    -   In some embodiments, a player may only be paid for the best        payline in multi-line play. For instance, if the player has        enabled three paylines on the gaming device, and the outcomes        for lines 1, 2, and 3 pay 5, 9, and 0 coins, respectively, then        the player may only receive 9 coins, instead of the normal 14        coin payout. In example variations of this tax, the player may        be paid for only the highest two lines, the highest 10% of        lines, the median line only, or only the lowest line.

A gaming device may withhold from a player a fixed percentage of anypayout. For example, the gaming device may withhold 5% of any payout. Inmany instances, the withholding of a percentage of a payout will resultin the withholding of a fractional amount of a credit. For example,withholding five percent of a 10-coin payout equates to withholding onehalf of a credit. In some embodiments, the gaming device rounds anyfractions of a credit withheld either up or down, depending on its rulesof operation. Thus, even though the gaming device withholds 5% ofpayouts, the gaming device may withhold a full credit on a 10 coinpayout after rounding up the half credit to a full credit. In anotherembodiment, the gaming device does not withhold fractional creditamounts, but rather keeps track of the fractional amounts of creditsthat would have been withheld from a player had they been whole creditamounts. Then, whenever the stored fractional amounts of credits add upto a full credit, the gaming device may withhold such a credit from theplayer. For example, on two consecutive handle pulls, a player wins 6and then 14 credits. The gaming device pays the player six credits forhis first payout, but also tracks the 5%*6 credits=0.3 credits that itwould have withheld from the player. Then, when the player achieves thepayout of 14 credits, the gaming device computes the withholding fromthe 14-credit payout as 5%*14=0.7 credits, adds the 0.7 credits to the0.3 credits previously stored, and deducts the resultant full creditfrom the player's payout of 14, giving the player only 13 creditsinstead. In embodiments where the gaming device tracks fractionalamounts of credits to be withheld in the future, the gaming device maydisplay such fractional amounts to the player.

-   -   In some embodiments, a player may receive only the highest        payout in any sequence of two non-overlapping handle pulls. For        example, the player may only receive the highest payout from        amongst the first and second handle pulls, and only the highest        payout from amongst the second and third handle pulls. If the        player achieves more than two winning outcomes in any designated        group of handle pulls, then the lower of the winning outcomes        may be treated as a push, and the player may receive his wager        back for that handle pull. In variations of this tax, the player        receives the highest n payouts in any sequence of m        non-overlapping handle pulls. In other example variations, the        player might also receive only the lowest payout, the lowest        positive payout, the median payout, or the modal payout in any        sequence.    -   In some embodiments, a player may receive only the highest        payout in any sequence of two overlapping handle pulls. Thus, if        a player has a sequence of handle pulls resulting in payouts of:        0, 3, 8, 2, 0, 3, 5, 0, then the player may receive only 8 coins        and 5 coins, for a total of 13 coins. The player receives        nothing for the second or fourth pulls, because the third pull,        which is in a sequence of two with both the second and fourth        pulls, respectively, is higher than both the second and fourth        pulls. Similarly, the player receives nothing for the sixth        pull, because the seventh pull is higher.    -   In some embodiments, a player may begin a session with a number        of credits that is less than the equivalent amount of money he        has paid. For example, a player inserts $50 into a gaming device        and then receives only 30 credits.    -   In some embodiments, a player may only be allowed a predefined        number of winning outcomes within a given time frame. For        example, the player may only win three times in any 30-second        period. If the player wins more than 3 times in a 30-second        period, then the third win may be a push. With such a tax in        place, a player may be required to maintain a certain rate of        play so that he does not pause for the remainder of a 30-second        period after having won three times. Time frames may be        overlapping or non-overlapping. In the latter case, for example,        the player cannot win more than 3 times in any rolling 30-second        period. In the former case, there are discrete 30-second periods        during which the player cannot win more than three times.        However, in the discrete 30-second period embodiment, a player        could win more than three times within 30 seconds by winning        twice at the end of a first period, and twice at the beginning        of a second.    -   A player may only be allowed the highest paying outcome during        any given time period. For example, the player might get only        the highest paying outcome from any 30-second period. Once        again, the periods might be overlapping or non-overlapping. In        variations of this form of tax, a player is allowed the highest        paying n outcomes within any given time frame. Alternatively,        the player might be allowed the 2^(nd) highest paying outcome in        any given time frame, the median paying outcome, etc.    -   In some embodiments, a player may be restricted to win no more        than twice his prior win. For example, a player might win 3        coins on a first outcome. Three handle pulls later, the player        wins 10 coins. However, since the player's earlier win was 3        coins, he may now receive only 6 coins instead of 10, since six        coins would be twice his earlier win. Now, on a subsequent        handle pull, the player might win up to 12 coins (or in some        embodiments, up to 20 coins, even though he was not given the        full 10 coins). Suppose, however, that after his win of 3 coins,        the player's next win was one coin. Then, on a later win, the        player would be restricted to a maximum of two coins.    -   In some embodiments, one or more coins may be taken from a        player upon the occurrence of a predefined event or sequence of        events. For example, every time the player loses on three        consecutive spins, a coin is taken away from him. Alternatively,        if a player wins three times in a row, a coin might be taken        from him. In another example, if a player wins more than 5 coins        on three consecutive spins, a coin is taken from him. In another        example, if a player wins more than 20 coins in any two-minute        period, then a coin is taken from him.    -   In some embodiments, a percentage of a player's credit balance        may be taken upon the occurrence of some random event, such as        an outcome. For example, an outcome consisting of three blanks        on the three reels of a slot machine might cause a player to        lose half of his balance. Any fractional amounts of a player's        balance may be rounded up or down.    -   In some embodiments, a fixed amount of a player's credit balance        may be taken upon the occurrence of some random event, such as        an outcome. The number of credits taken may be 5, 10, etc. In        particular, the number of credits taken may be more than the        maximum possible wager at the gaming device, or more than the        player's last wager.    -   In some embodiments, when a player's credit balance meets        certain criteria, the player may be limited as to what outcomes        constitute winning outcomes, or as to how much he can win. For        example, when a player's credit balance exceeds 200, he may be        restricted to only receiving 50% of any payouts. In some        embodiments, when the player's credit balance goes below zero,        the player may be able to win only the jackpot. In some        embodiments, when the player's credit balance first meets one of        a set of designated criteria (e.g. when the player's credit        balance exceeds 200), the taxes may apply thereafter, even if        the player's credit balance later ceases to meet the criteria.        For example, if a player's credit balance exceeds 200, then all        future outcomes, at least for that session, may give the player        only 50% of what the outcomes would normally pay. In some        embodiments, the tax may cease to apply once the player no        longer meets the criteria.

Any of the above taxes may have exceptions to when the tax may beapplied. In particular, exceptions may occur when, for example, theplayer receives a jackpot outcome. For example, even if a tax prevents aplayer's balance from exceeding $150, the player's balance may go above$150 if he obtains a jackpot-winning outcome. If an outcome wouldordinarily be a push (e.g. because the prior outcome was a win and aplayer is prevented from winning twice in a row), and a jackpot-winningoutcome occurs, then the player would still be allowed to win thejackpot.

Any of the above taxes may also be limited such that not more than apredetermined amount of money is taken from the player during a sessionor during any particular time period. For example, suppose a player istaxed such that whenever he attains a streak of winning outcomes, hereceives only the payout for the first outcome, and the rest of theoutcomes in the streak are treated as pushes. So if a player were tolose on a first pull, and then achieve consecutive outcomes paying 12,8, and 2, then the player would actually receive 14 coins: 12 coins forthe first outcome, 1 for the second (to repay the cost of the wager),and 1 for the third. In effect, the player has given up seven coins forthe second outcome, and 1 coin for the third outcome, for a total ofeight coins given up due to the tax. If, at the end of 20 minutes, theplayer has given up more than 30 coins due to the tax, then the excesscoins may be returned to the player. Alternatively, if the player haspaid 30 coins due to the tax, prior to the expiration of the 20-minuteperiod, then the tax may no longer apply until the 20-minute period hasexpired.

In some embodiments, an alternative minimum tax (AMT) rule may beapplied. For example, if during a given twenty minute period, linkedplay group members have managed to avoid being charged at least apredefined minimum amount of tax, an AMT amount may be deducted from oneor more of the group members' credit balances.

In some embodiments, players need not explicitly form a group. Rather,play at two or more designated gaming devices may automatically enablethe payment of bonuses based on a combination of outcomes among thegaming devices. For example, suppose that unoccupied gaming devices Aand B are situated next to one another on a casino floor. Linda sitsdown at gaming device A and begins play. When she attains winningoutcomes, she is paid according to a pay table displayed on the frontpanel of her gaming device. Twenty minutes after Linda, Patricia sitsdown at gaming device B and begins play. Now, automatically, both Lindaand Patricia are eligible to win a special group bonus prize based on acombination of their outcomes. Namely, in this example, if either Lindaor Patricia get an outcome of 7-7-7, then both will receive a bonus of10,000 coins if the other then hits 7-7-7 within two spins. WhenPatricia first began to play, an extra line of the pay table on Linda'sgaming device may light up, showing the payout of 10,000 coins should7-7-7 occur on her machine and on the machine next to her. In Patricia'scase, the extra line on the pay table showing the 10,000-coin bonus maybe lit from the start, since Linda has been playing before Patricia. Insome cases, however, group play may be enabled automatically only afterthe second, or last group member has been playing for a predeterminedperiod of time, say for example, two minutes. In this way, a secondperson cannot wait until a first person has achieved an outcome such as7-7-7, before initiating play and trying for a group bonus.

In some embodiments, a single gaming device may participate in more thanone group. For example, gaming device B may be part of the groupconsisting of gaming devices A and B, and part of the group consistingof gaming devices B and C. In this case, if gaming devices A and B bothreveal a particular outcome within a predetermined time interval, thengaming devices A and B may each pay a bonus prize. However, gamingdevice C does not pay the bonus prize, since it is not in the group withgaming devices A and B. In some cases, if gaming device B achieves aparticular outcome, and then both gaming devices A and C achieve amatching outcome, then gaming device B may pay two bonuses, whereasgaming devices A and C may only pay one bonus each. One example of thisembodiment might be implemented when multiple gaming devices aresituated in a row on a casino floor. Each gaming device may be in aseparate group with its neighbor on either side.

(b) Prizes Dependent on the Amount of Group Play

In some embodiments, rather than winning a fixed prize, a group, orgroup members, may receive a prize that is related to the amount ofgroup play. Measures of the amount of group play may include: an amountof time group members have spent gaming, an amount of money (or tokens,or credits) group members have wagered (i.e. coin-in), an amount ofmoney group members have lost, an amount of money group members havewon, and a number of handle pulls.

All measures may refer to a group total, to a group average, or to someother statistic. For example, the amount of time group members havespent gaming may refer to the total amount of time all group membershave spent gaming, the average amount of time gaming per group member,the amount of time gambled by the group member who gambled the least,and so on.

In an exemplary embodiment, a casino may contribute to a pool of prizemoney that is to be awarded to a group if the group meets a certaincriterion, such as achieving net winnings of $200. The amount of moneythe casino contributes may depend on the amount of play by the group. Inparticular, the amount the casino contributes to the pool may increasein proportion to the amount of play of the group.

(c) Sharing Winnings and Losses or Pooled Play

In some embodiments, playing groups are large enough so that winningsand losses are likely to be evenly distributed among the group members.Such a group may provide several benefits to its members. Group membershave lower risks of large losses, since a session of bad gamblingoutcomes may be offset by a session of good outcomes obtained by othergroup members. Furthermore, at the end of a playing session, groupmembers will be in similar moods, each having experienced the samefinancial results. In such embodiments, each person may put in a fixedamount of money, say $100, to a common pool. A playing group member mayplace money into the common pool by, for example, inserting money into agaming device 104 and indicating via the touch screen 308 that the moneyis to be placed into the group's common pool. The casino server 102 maythen track the size of the common pool. Each handle pull by any of thegroup members may be charged to the common pool. So if a handle pullcosts $1, then each time a group member makes a handle pull, $1 isdeducted from the common pool. However, the amount of any winnings by agroup member may be added to the common pool. At the end of a gamblingsession, the pool is divided evenly among the group members. Forexample, the casino server 102 divides the size of the common pool bythe number of group members, and instructs the gaming device 104 of eachgroup member to pay the group member the resultant amount.

In some embodiments, all playing group members do not contribute thesame amount to the common pool. In these embodiments, winnings andlosses may be divided among group members in proportion to the amountcontributed by each group member. For example, suppose Joe, Sam, Linda,and Susan have contributed $100, $200, $300, and $400, respectively, toa common pool. Thus, the common pool initially contains $1000. Then, atthe end of the gambling session, the pool contains only half as much:$500. In such embodiments, each group member would receive half of hisinitial contribution. Therefore, Joe, Sam, Linda, and Susan wouldreceive $50, $100, $150, and $200, respectively. Had the pool contained$2000 at the end of the gambling session, then Joe, Sam, Linda, andSusan would have received $200, $400, $600, and $800, respectively.

In embodiments with a common pool, all group members need not make allof their contributions prior to the start of a gambling session. Rather,each new wager a group member makes may buy the group member a “share”of the common pool. Any winnings from the wager then go into the commonpool, to be divided among all group members in proportion to eachmember's share in the common pool. Shares of the common pool may beallocated based on the relative size of the common pool and a groupmember's wager at the time the wager is made. Suppose, for example, thatan existing common pool includes 999 tokens and a new group member makeshis first wager of 1 token to buy a share of the common pool. The groupmember then receives a share of the common pool equal to his wagerdivided by the total size of his wager and the common pool, or1/(1+999)=1/1000If the group member then generates a payout of 1001 tokens, the winningsgo into the common pool, and the size of the pool is then increased to1001+999=2000 tokensThe group member may then cash out his 1/1000 share of the common poolto receive:1/1000*2000 tokens=2 tokens

A group member may not always maintain a fixed share of the pool.Rather, the group member's share may become diluted when other groupmembers buy into the pool. For example, suppose a first group memberowns a 1/1000 share of a pool of 2000 tokens. The first group memberdoes not cash out his share, but also does not continue wagering. Then,a second group member begins wagering to buy shares in the common pool.The second group member makes a wager of 2 tokens to buy a share of thecommon pool equal to2/(2000+2)=1/1001

Suppose the wager does not win, so the size of the pool remains at 2000tokens. The first group member's share of the common pool has beendiluted by the second group member, by a factor of one minus the secondgroup member's new share of the common pool. Thus, the first groupmember has been diluted by a factor of1-1/1001=1000/1001Therefore, the first group member's share of the common pool is now hisoriginal share multiplied by the dilution factor, or1/1000×1000/1001=1/1001So when the second group member bought a share of the common pool, thefirst group member's share went from 1/1000 of the common pool, to1/1001 of the common pool. However, the reduction in the first groupmember's share was partially offset by the fact that winnings from thesecond group member's wager might have gone into the common pool,increasing the value of the first group member's share.

In some embodiments, group members do not split winnings and lossesbased on monetary contributions alone, but also based on group members'performances during a linked gaming session. For instance, Abby and Billeach contribute $100 to a group pool. For the next hour, all of Abby andBill's wagers come from the pool, and all of their winnings go into thepool. After one hour, Abby and Bill divide up the pool. However, theymay not necessarily divide the pool evenly. In some embodiments, Abbymight receive a larger percentage of the pool if her play was betterthan Bill's. If, for example, Abby and Bill had been playing video pokerand Abby's decisions were consistently better than Bill's in the sensethat her decisions yielded the highest expected value on a subsequentrandom event, whereas Bill's decisions did not always lead to thehighest possible expected value, Abby might receive a larger percentageof the pool even though she may have been unlucky and ended up actuallywinning less than Bill.

Group members might split winnings in part based on the amounts won byeach individual. If, for example, Abby's net win is $20, and Bill's netwin is −$20, then, at the end of the hour, Abby's total contribution tothe pool has been her initial contribution plus her net winnings, or$120, and Bill's total contribution has been $80. Abby has thencontributed$120/($120+$80)=60% of the pooland Bill has contributed 40%. The pool might therefore be divided with60% going to Abby and 40% to Bill. Alternatively, in some embodiments,Abby and Bill's winnings might be made more comparable by subtracting afixed percentage from the leading contributor, and adding the fixedpercentage to the lagging contributor. Thus, in an embodiment using 5%as the fixed percentage, Abby might only receive 60%-5%=55% of thewinnings, and Bill might receive 40%+5%=45% of the winnings. Poolallocations may also be made based on relative gross winnings, on therelative total amounts wagered, on the relative number of outcomesexceeding, for example, 100 achieved, and so on, including anycombination of the aforementioned. The division of any prizes won eitherfrom the casino or from another group may also be likewise dividedamongst group members based on quality of group members' decisions, netwinnings, etc.

(d) Group Members Compete

In some embodiments, all members of a group may compete against oneanother. The group members might compete in order to achieve one or moreof the following winning criteria: the highest net or gross winnings,the most winning outcomes, the most winning outcomes above a certainlevel, the most outcomes with payouts above a certain level, the longestduration of play without losing more than a certain amount of money, thelongest duration of play without winning, the longest duration of playwithout running out of money, the most of a particular symbol collected,the most gaming devices played, the largest payout, the largest numberof visits to one or more casinos, the most money spent at the casino, beit on gambling, shopping, meals, entertainment, the most number ofgaming decisions that provide optimal expected value strategy, and/orthe most wins over the other group members on individual pulls. Forexample, a group member wins a pull when he obtains a higher payout onthat pull than do all other group members. This might require each groupmember to perform synchronized handle pulls, or each group members'pulls to be numbered.

The winning group member might receive a prize in the form of cash,tokens, show tickets, meal tickets, rooms, or merchandise from thecasino. In particular, show tickets, meal tickets, rooms, ormerchandise, may be in excess, and the casino may award group prizes asa convenient means of utilizing the show tickets, rooms, etc.

When group members compete with one another, in some embodiments, eachgroup member might contribute to a prize pool. For example, each groupmember might contribute $20 and the winning group member receives theprize pool. In some cases, the prize pool may be divided between two ormore group members. For example, in a competition, the first place groupmember may receive 60% of the prize pool, the second place group membermay receive 30% of the prize pool, and the third place group member mayreceive 10%.

The casino server 102 may facilitate the competition between groupmembers by receiving group members' registration information, by keepingtrack of the group members' results, by comparing the group members'results, and by determining a winner. The casino server 102 alsofacilitates competition between group members by receiving each groupmember's contribution to the prize pool. The casino server 102 mayreceive the contributions via gaming devices 104, 106, 108, (112, 114).The casino server 102 may then make note of each group member'scontribution to the prize pool. Finally, at the conclusion of thecompetition, the casino server 102 may instruct the gaming device 104 ofthe winner to pay the winner his amount due from the prize pool. Thecasino may keep a percentage of the prize pool for itself as payment forfacilitating the competition.

(e) Groups Compete with Other Groups

In some embodiments, one group may compete against one or more othergroups. The casino may sponsor a prize to be given the group that winsthe competition. For example, each member of the winning group mayreceive a free meal at the casino's restaurant. Alternatively, eachgroup may contribute money or other prizes to a common prize pool. Atthe end of competition, the winning group or groups may then collect theprize pool. Once again, in some embodiments, the casino may keep aportion of the prize pool as a service fee.

One group may seek competition against another group with certaincharacteristics. For instance, if a first group is a husband and wifeteam, then the group may seek competition against another husband andwife team. A group of bowling buddies may seek competition againstanother group of bowlers. In general, a group or a representative of agroup may communicate to the casino server 102 any conceivablecharacteristics desired in a competing group. The casino server 102 maythen consult a group database 210 to find a potential competitor groupwith all or some of the desired characteristics. The casino server 102may then attempt to find a time and group competition format that isagreeable to both groups. If both groups agree to the competition, thenthe competition may take place. Of course, in some embodiments, morethan two groups may compete with one another.

(f) Asynchronous Play

In some embodiments, group members, whether they team up against thecasino or another group, or whether they compete against one another,need not play at the same times. For example, suppose Jack and Henryform a group in which both will win a substantial prize if they eachachieve four-of-a-kind in video poker within three spins of one another.However, Jack plays from 10:00 am to 10:30 am, and Henry plays from 3:30pm to 4:00 pm. So that it makes sense to talk about being “within threespins of one another,” each spin made by Jack and Henry is numbered.Jack's first spin is numbered “1”, his second spin is numbered “2”, andso on. Similarly, Henry's first spin is numbered “1”, his second spin isnumbered “2”, and so on. In some embodiments, for two outcomes to beconsidered to occur within three spins of one another, the absolutevalue of the difference between the two spin numbers may be required tobe three or less. Thus, if Jack achieves four-of-a-kind on his 10.sup.thspin, and Henry achieves four-of-a-kind on his 12.sup.th spin, then theabsolute value of the difference between the spin numbers is given by:|10−12|=2Therefore, since the absolute value of the difference between the spinnumbers is less than three, Jack and Henry qualify for the substantialprize.

In some embodiments, asynchronous competition may create excitementamong group members when a first group member achieves a key outcome andthen may be required to wait a predefined amount of time for a secondgroup member to play and to possibly achieve a matching key outcome. Inthe previous example, once Jack had achieved the four-of-a-kind on his10.sup.th spin, Jack would have to wait several hours to see whetherHenry would achieve a matching four-of-a-kind in a predefined three-spinperiod. The wait would build excitement for both Jack and Henry.

In general, group play may occur over any single or multiple timeintervals. Group play might last for a few minutes, an hour, a day, aweek, a month, a year, or longer. Group play may be continuous, or itcould occur during multiple separate time intervals, such as everySunday between 6:00 and 7:00 pm.

In some embodiments, two competing group members may choose a subset oftheir attained outcomes to use in the competition against the other. Forexample, both group members play the slots for an hour, from 10:00 am to11:00 am. The winner of the competition is the group member who had thehighest net winnings for any ten-minute period during the hour played.The first group member might have sustained an $80 net loss for thehour, but may have won $30 over the period of 10:27 to 10:37. Meanwhile,the second group member may have won $20 over the course of the hour,but may have a peak 10-minute performance of only $25, from 10:42 to10:52. Thus, the first group member would win the competition in such anembodiment.

Many other subsets of a gambling session may be used for a competition.For instance a group member's best 50 consecutive pulls, a groupmember's best 10 pulls (not necessarily consecutive), a group member'sworst 50 consecutive pulls, and a group member's longest string of playsat a video poker machine in which every hand contained a heart; are allexamples of subsets of gambling sessions that might be used for acompetition. In some embodiments, a user may be required to choosebetween keeping the winnings from a set of handle pulls, or entering theset of handle pulls into a competition, in which case he would not keepthe winnings, but would have the chance to win a potentially largeprize. For example, Sam plays video blackjack for 20 minutes and amasses70 extra credits from his 20 minutes of play. Sam may choose to take thecredits, or to forego the credits and use his 20 minutes of play as anentry into a competition for 1000 credits. The winner of the 1000credits would be the person who has won the most credits during the 20minutes of play, but has chosen to forego the credits and enter into thecompetition.

(g) Dependent Outcomes

Typically, two people at separate gaming devices generate outcomes thatare statistically independent of one another. However, when two or morepeople join a group, their outcomes need no longer be independent. Forexample, if two video poker players join a group, when each makes ahandle pull at the same time, both group members may be dealt cards fromthe same electronic deck. Thus, if the electronic deck is a standard52-card deck, then both group members cannot have the same cards intheir respective hands. In such embodiments, both group members may gaina strategic advantage by looking at the other's hand. Knowing that thata first group member has a desired card, a second group member would nolonger try to draw for that same card. This also makes it harder for twoplayers to get a heart flush simultaneously.

In reel-slot machine embodiments, two group members may play the samevirtual set of reels. However, the two group members may utilizedifferent pay lines. Therefore, if “bell” and “lemon” are adjacentsymbols on the first reel, “cherry” and “blank” are adjacent symbols onthe second reel, and “orange” and “plum” are adjacent symbols on thethird reel; then the first group member may attain the outcome of“bell-cherry-orange” while the second group member attains the outcomeof “lemon-blank-plum”.

In video roulette embodiments, each group member may wager on outcomesto be generated by the same virtual roulette wheel.

There are many other embodiments in which the outcomes of group membersat gaming devices could be dependent on one another. In perhaps thesimplest embodiment, two or more group members may wager on the exactsame event and the outcome may be displayed simultaneously on each ofthe group members' gaming devices. For instance, two group members makea wager at their respective gaming devices, the same set of virtualreels is then used to generate an outcome, the (same) outcome isdisplayed on both gaming devices, and both group members are paidaccording to the single outcome.

When two or more group members generate dependent outcomes, the casinoserver 102 may generate both the outcomes, communicate the outcomes tothe group members' gaming devices 104, 106, 108, and have the gamingdevices 104, 106, 108 display the outcomes. Alternatively, one of thegaming devices 104 might generate the outcomes and transmit each outcometo the gaming device 106 operated by the other group member.

(h) Exchange of Indicia

Group play may allow two or more group members to transfer symbols,cards, or other indicia to one another. For example, if a first groupmember achieves a video poker hand that is only one card short of awinning outcome, the first group member may obtain his missing card froma second group member who has the missing card. In this example, supposeJohn has “10s Js Qs Ks 5d.” John only needs the “As” in order to make aroyal flush. If John's fellow group member Henry then gets an “As 2h 5dJc 4h,” Henry can pass the “As” to John, giving John the royal flush.Additionally, Henry may have only a limited amount of time, or a limitednumber of handle pulls, in which to achieve a symbol that he can pass toJohn.

In some embodiments, a first group member may be able to pass playindicia to a second group member only if the second group member wouldachieve one of particular subset of winning outcomes. For example, afirst group member might not be permitted to pass a jack indicium to asecond group member just so the second group member could make a pair.However, the first group member may be able to pass the jack if it wouldgive the second group member four of a kind, or better. With this kindof rule, there is not excessive passing of cards between group members,and therefore a drastic reduction in the speed of play is avoided.Another possible restriction may be to allow the passing of indicia onlyonce per given number of handle pulls, or only once per given period oftime. Still another possible rule may be to allow only certain indiciato be passed. For example, only bar symbols may be passed, or onlycherry symbols may be passed. Another embodiment limits the total numberof symbols that may be passed at any one time amongst the members of agroup. In one example, if there are five group members, then perhapsonly two symbols may be permitted to be passed among the members of thegroup during any handle pull (e.g. if all handle pulls aresynchronized), or only one symbol may be passed in any 10-second period.In some cases, a group member is limited as to whom he may pass a symbolor indicium. So a first group member may be able to pass a symbol to asecond group member but not to a third, and the second group member maybe able to pass a symbol to the third group member, but not to thefirst. Another restriction might require a symbol transferred from oneperson to another to maintain its position within an overall outcome.Thus, a bar from the third reel of a first group member's gaming devicemight only be permitted to fill the third spot of an outcome of a secondgroup member. So a first group member with “orange-lemon-bar” would beable to pass his bar symbol/indicium to a second group member with“bar-bar-plum”, but not to a second group member with “bar-plum-bar.”Similarly, a card within a video poker hand in the fourth position mightonly be able to replace another card, in another person's outcome, whichis also in the fourth position. In another variation, a player must payto pass an indicium to another. He may pay, for example, by insertinganother coin. Alternatively, a group member may pay to receive anindicium.

The casino server 102 may facilitate the exchange of symbols or gameindicia by transmitting the outcomes obtained by one group member to allother group members' gaming devices for display. A group member maythereby see the outcomes of all the other group members, displayed, forexample, in the upper right hand corner of his screen. A first groupmember would then be able to tell when a second group member was in needof one of the first group member's symbols. Similarly, if the firstgroup member needed another symbol, he could check the outcomes of othergroup members to see whether they might have the required symbol to giveto him.

In some cases, the casino server may automatically cause a symbol to bepassed from one gaming device to another, where such passing wouldbenefit the group. Thus, for example, John might be playing five-reelslots and achieve “planet-planet-planet-planet-asteroid”. However, afifth planet symbol might then automatically appear on his screen, witha possible accompanying message such as, “From Susan!” The fifth symbolmight then travel to the fifth position within John's outcome, replacingthe asteroid, and giving John “planet-planet-planet-planet-planet,” awinning outcome. By automatically causing symbols to be passed betweengroup members, the casino server 102 may speed play.

In some cases, however, the casino server does not automatically cause asymbol to be passed from one gaming device 104 to another. Instead, agroup member must communicate his desire to pass a symbol to anothergroup member. For example, John might touch the “As” card on the screenof his gaming device, and then touch Bill's hand, which is in a smalldisplay in the upper right hand corner of John's screen. John's gamingdevice 104 then sends a signal to the casino server 102, which in turnsignals Bill's gaming device 106, causing the “As” to appear on Bill'sscreen. Alternatively, Bill might see that John has a symbol he needs,and might then touch the desired symbol on John's outcome, andsubsequently touch a “Get this symbol” button on his own gaming device.Where the gaming device does not automatically cause a symbol to bepassed when beneficial, the gaming device may still provide advice toplayers as to when they ought to pass symbols. The advice from thegaming device may be helpful, as group members may find it difficult totrack the outcomes of multiple other group members, and thereby to knowwhen it would be beneficial to transfer a symbol or to receive a symbol.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a video poker gaming device 108involved in group play. Another gaming device in the group has generatedan outcome of: “9h Js Qs As Ks,” and the outcome 600 of that device isdisplayed above the main screen 604 of the illustrated gaming device108. The illustrated gaming device 108 has generated an outcome of “2h10s Ks Qd 10h.” The player situated in front of the illustrated gamingdevice 108 has the opportunity to “Give To Partner” his “10s”, whichwould give his partner a royal flush.

Embodiments that allow the transfer of symbols amongst group members mayallow for exciting situations to occur. A first group member may have anoutcome in which he lacks only one symbol towards a high-paying outcome.The group member may then wait and call out to all other group members,“I need a bell. Quick, get me a bell!” Other group members may thencheck to see if they have bells. If not, they may frantically continuespinning in the hopes of getting a bell in order to pass the bell to thefirst group member. Meanwhile, the first group member, and/or the othergroup members, may have a clock appear on their display screens. Theclock may count down the time for the other group members to achieve thebell in order to help the first group member.

In some embodiments, one or more members of a group must insert an extracoin into their slot machines for the privilege of being able to passsymbols amongst themselves on a particular handle pull. For example,Bill and Adam form a two-person group, each playing video poker. Thestandard maximum wager is three coins. However, on a given handle pull,Bill and Adam might each insert four coins. Then, Bill and Adam have theoption of passing cards to one another for that handle pull. Inalternative embodiments, one or more group members might insert one ormore extra coins, and thereby obtain the privilege of passing symbols onmultiple subsequent handle pulls. For example, Bill and Adam might eachinsert five extra coins prior to making a first handle pull, and maythereafter be able to pass cards to one another for the next ten pulls,even while making only the standard three-coin wager on the next tenpulls. In some embodiments, players in a group may be able to passsymbols with varying levels of restrictions, depending on how much theyhave paid for the privilege. For example, by inserting a single extracoin prior to initiating a handle pull, Bill and Adam might be able topass cards to one another, but only before either has drawn (i.e. chosendiscards and requested new cards). However, if Bill and Adam were eachto insert two extra coins prior to initiating a handle pull, then eachmight be able to pass cards both before and after the draw.

(i) Multi-Player Progressives

In some embodiments, a portion of each group member's wager may go intoa pool of money held by the casino. When one of the group membersobtains a predetermined outcome, the group member may win all or aportion of the pool. Upon the formation of the group, each group membermight contribute a certain amount of money to the pool so that the pooldoes not start out at zero.

Group members may also contribute money to start the pool after the poolhas been won. In some embodiments, the group member who won the previouspool may contribute a portion of his winnings to the next pool.

(j) Non-Outcome Based Competition

Competition need not only be based on the results of handle pulls. Insome embodiments, competition is based on group members' answers totrivia questions. Throughout the course of a competition, the casinoserver 102 may transmit trivia questions to the gaming devices 104, 106,108, (112, 114) of group members. A gaming device 104 may then display atrivia question on its display screen 308. The trivia question mayinclude four possible answers. A group member at the gaming device 104may answer the question by, for example, touching one of the possibleanswers on the display screen 308. The gaming device 104 may thentransmit the group member's answer back to the casino server 102. At theend of a competition, the casino server 102 may tally the correct andincorrect answers submitted by group members, or by entire groups, asappropriate. For example, if competition is between group members, thenthe casino server 102 may tally the number of correct answers for eachgroup member. The group member with the most correct answers may thenwin. For competitions pitting a group against the casino, the casinoserver 102 may tally the total number of correct answers submitted byall group members, compare the tally to a threshold, and therebydetermine whether or not the group has won.

So as to encourage gambling even during competitions that are not basedon outcomes, the casino server 102 may require a certain rate of handlepulls during competitions. If a user does not meet the required minimumrate of play, then, for example, some of the user's answers may notcount.

Aside from trivia games, a number of other supplementary games may serveas a basis for competition. For example, as group members play five-reelslot machines, they may also be involved in a Bridge game. Group membersmight also play many other types of games such as Scrabble™, Mah Jong,Chess, Hearts, etc.

In some embodiments, competition may be between a gambler at a casino,and a remote player who is not gambling. The remote player may be loggedon to the Internet, for example, and in communication with the casinoserver 102 and/or a third-party server 110. The casino server 102 and/orthe third-party server 110 may transmit, for example, trivia questionsto both the gambler and to the remote player. Each may then provideanswers. After a certain number of questions, or a certain period oftime, the casino server 102 and/or the third-party server 110 may tallyup correct answers and determine a winner. If the remote player has won,then the gambler may authorize the casino server 102 and/or thethird-party server 110 to deduct an amount of money from his own creditbalance, and to send such money to the remote player, e.g. in the formof a check. In this way, the casino has facilitated a friendlycompetition amongst a gambler and a remote player. The competition isfriendly in that it is up to the gambler and the remote player whethereach will pay the other, should the other win. The casino benefitsbecause the gambler has more fun when he gets to compete against aremote friend. Furthermore, the remote player may be grateful to thecasino for facilitating the competition, and may wish to visit thecasino in the future.

A remote player may also become involved in competition by taking theside of a gambler at the casino against another gambler, group ofgamblers, or against the casino. Once again, the remote player may be incommunication with the casino server 102 and/or the third-party server110. A gambler at the casino may designate the remote player as apartner. The casino server 102 and/or the third-party server 110 maythen transmit the same trivia question to both the remote player and tothe gambler. The remote player may then communicate answers to thequestions by relaying the answers to the casino server 102 and/or thethird-party server 110, and having the casino server 102 and/or thethird-party server 110 transmit them to the gaming device 104 of thegambler. If the gambler and remote player have won money at the end of acompetition, then the gambler may receive the money at his gaming device104. The gambler may then have the option of allowing the casino totransfer some of the winnings to the remote player, e.g. via check orelectronic funds transfer.

In some embodiments, a remote player need not be limited to onlytrivia-based competitions, but may also compete against, or assist agambler, in many other types of games such as Scrabble™, Mah Jong,Chess, Hearts, arcade games, home video (e.g. Sony®PlayStation®) games,Bridge, or any other game involving skill.

(k) Group Events

The casino server 102 may seek to improve a group's gaming experience byfacilitating various group events. Group events may include group meals,group outings (e.g. to golf courses, movies, shows, aquariums, etc.),group pep rallies, group award ceremonies, and so on. Group events maybe paid for by the casino, by group members, or partly by each. At groupevents, group members may receive merchandise relating to the group. Forexample, group members may receive scrapbooks with pictures of groupmembers and representations of group member outcomes from throughout thegroup session. Group members may also receive cash or merchandiseprizes, certificates, trophies, and verbal recognition. By holding groupevents, a casino may facilitate camaraderie and enjoyment among thegroup members. In addition, the casino may encourage group members toremain at a casino longer so as to attend a group event. For example,suppose a group competes against the casino from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm andwins a prize of $1000. The casino may hold an awards ceremony for thegroup at 7:00 pm, during which the group is to pick up the prize andsome trophies. The group is thereby encouraged to remain at the casinountil at least 7:00 pm. Therefore, the group members may spend anadditional two hours gambling between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm, creatingpotential profits for the casino.

Group events are also an opportunity for people from the same group tomeet if they have never met before, or if they do not see each otheroften. For example, a mother and adult daughter may form a group andcompete with other group members via the Internet. If the mother anddaughter play consistently, then the casino server 102 might provide themother and daughter with free plane tickets to Las Vegas, and freeaccommodations on an annual basis. Then, the mother and daughter wouldhave a chance to see each other, and to gamble together in Las Vegas.

In addition to group members coming together during group events, peoplefrom separate groups may also meet at casino sponsored events. Perhapsthe groups have competed against one another, or have competed togetheragainst the casino.

3. Initiating the Linked Play According to the Group Format

In Step S3, group play may begin at a designated time once the casinoserver 102 has received all members' registration information. Thedesignated time may be chosen by the casino server 102 or by groupmembers at the time of registration. In some cases, group play may beginalmost immediately after every group member agrees to begin. Some groupsmay be dynamic and allow for new members even after group play hasstarted. In this case, play may begin once a certain minimum number ofgroup members have registered.

Beginning a group session does not mean that every current group memberis required to begin gambling or otherwise working towards group goals.Individual group members may gamble according to their own timetables,so long as their gambling falls within the time of the group session.

As the linked play session proceeds, each group member's gaming device104 may transmit outcomes to the casino server 102. The casino server102 may then store the outcomes in a current session database 214 suchas depicted in FIG. 14. The casino server 102 may refer to the currentsession database 214, for example, in order to determine when two groupmembers have received key outcomes within a certain number of spins ofone another. The casino server 102 may also refer to the current sessiondatabase to obtain outcomes from one group member to be displayed toanother. At the end of the group session, the casino server 102 mayrefer to the current session database 214 to determine aggregate groupresults and thus, to determine whether the group should be awarded aprize.

4. Facilitating Interaction Among Group Members

In Step S4, the system 100A, 100B may enable group members to interactpassively or actively in a number of different ways. In someembodiments, as each group member generates results, the casino server102 may transmit the results to be displayed to other group members.Group members may chat with one another. Group members may view videoimages of each other. Group members may also view video images of eachother's gaming devices or computer screens where outcomes are displayed.Group members may provide each other with advice on any games requiringdecisions. A first group member may even take control of a second groupmember's gaming device 104 and make remote decisions for the secondgroup member.

The display of one playing group member's results to another may createan important cohesion among group members. Suppose Linda and Marycompose a two-person playing group. The group will win a bonus prize if,together, Linda and Mary can gross $800 in an hour. As the end of thehour approaches, Linda might be discouraged after a long losing streak.However, she might check a display of Mary's results, and see that Maryhas been doing quite well. This might encourage Linda to maintain herrate of play, and to thereby help the group achieve its goal.

As another example, Mark and John compose a two-person group that willwin $10,000 if both achieve “bar-bar-bar” within 1 minute of each other.When Mark sees that John has obtained “bar-bar-bar” as an outcome, Markwill have a minute of intense excitement as he makes handle pulls andhopes to achieve “bar-bar-bar” himself.

In some embodiments, the casino server 102 may track the results of thegroup and display the results to one or more group members. The displaymay be made on the display screen 308 of the gaming device 104. There,the display might include a bar graph showing the names of group membersalong the x-axis, and some measure of the group members' results alongthe y-axis. The display may include other graphs, such as a line graphshowing the group's aggregate results over time. For example, the x-axismay represent time and the y-axis may denote net tokens won by the groupas a whole. The display may further incorporate the group's goal. Forinstance, the group members may view a graph of the group's grosswinning as it approaches a bold red line, representing the thresholdamount of winnings necessary for the group to win a group prize. Anexemplary graph 1000 of a group's gross winnings as a function of timeis depicted in FIG. 10.

In some embodiments, a group may be provided with the option to purchaseadditional time and/or handle pulls to meet the group objective. Forexample, a group that perceives that they might not achieve theobjective, perhaps based upon viewing a progress graph display 700, maydetermine that with five additional minutes they will improve theirchances of achieving the group objective on time. In such an embodiment,a casino server 102 may provide to players a physical or touch screenbutton that grants an extension of time in exchange for a fee, analtered group objective, or the use of modified payout tables.

Group results may also be displayed on the credit meters of each groupmember's gaming device. Typically, a credit meter shows the number ofcredits an individual user has at a gaming device. The user may, at anytime, receive cash in exchange for these credits. However, in playinggroup embodiments, the credit meter may show the total number of creditswon by the group, or some other statistic. In these embodiments, theuser may not be able to receive cash in exchange for the balance on thecredit meter.

Group results may also appear on the display of a player tracking cardreader. A player tracking card reader can typically display a few dozencharacters, and often displays a greeting message such as “Welcome LindaBrown.” However, in playing group embodiments, the player tracking cardreader might display a group member's most recent outcome, the grosswinnings of the group, etc. In some embodiments, group results may beprinted on the back of cashless gaming receipts.

For group members gaming at other devices, a display of group resultsmay occur on the monitor of a personal computer, or on the screen of acell phone or personal digital assistant. Group results may be audiblycommunicated. For example, the casino server 102 may periodicallyannounce a group's progress via speakers attached to group members'gaming devices. The casino server 102 may also periodically update avoice response unit with group results. Group members may then call thevoice response unit to hear group updates.

In some embodiments, a display may show group results as well as theresults of individual group members. For example, each time Samanthagets four cards to a royal-straight-flush in video poker, other groupmembers may see a miniature version of her screen displayed in a cornerof theirs. That way, the other group members may watch as she draws thefifth card. The same process may occur when other members of Samantha'sgroup achieve four cards to a royal-straight-flush.

In embodiments involving asynchronous play, a group member who isplaying at a later time may view a display of the results of a groupmember who had played at an earlier time. Suppose, as described in aprior example, that Jack and Henry win a substantial prize if they bothachieve a four-of-a-kind within three spins of one another. Jack is thefirst to play. When Henry plays several hours later, he may view on hisscreen all of Jack's outcomes that are relevant to Henry's currentoutcome. For example, if Henry is on his 10^(th) spin, Henry sees adisplay of Jack's outcomes on Jack's 7^(th), 8^(th), 9^(th), 10^(th),11^(th), 12^(th), and 13^(th) spins. If any of the displayed outcomesare four-of-a-kind, then Henry knows that he has a chance on his currentspin to get four-of-a-kind and to thereby win the substantial prize forJack and himself.

In some embodiments, displays may show the progress of other groups aswell. For example, assume the Palm Yacht Club is competing against theFlorida Shuffleboard Team. Each group member from the Palm Yacht Clubmay see a display not only of the Palm Yacht Club's results, but of theFlorida Shuffleboard Team's results as well.

In some embodiments, a group member may be required to give permissionfor other group members or for people outside of the group to see thegroup member's outcomes. Others may be allowed to see some informationpertaining to the group member's outcomes, but not all information. Forexample, other group members may see a first group member's outcomes,but not the amount of money the group member wagered, nor a tally of thefirst group member's net winnings.

During the course of play, group members may have a number of reasons tochat with one another. Group members may chat simply to socialize. Groupmembers may express to one another excitement and disappointment uponthe occurrence of various outcomes. Group members may encourage orcongratulate one another. Group members may agree on times to break, ontimes or places to eat, on places to meet, etc. One group member mightsuggest to another that he move to a new, “hotter” gaming device. Also,one group member may provide advice to another as to how to make aparticular decision. For example, one member might tell another, “Youwant to discard that pair and go for the straight-flush.” There are manyother reasons group members might want to communicate. Therefore, ameans of communication among group members can add significantly to thegaming experiences of the individuals involved.

Group members may chat using a number of different means. The casinoserver 102 may, for instance, host chat rooms. Each group may receiveits own private chat room. Group members may then communicate with eachother by keying in messages to their personal computers or gamingdevices and routing the messages through the chat room. In someembodiments, group members communicate via instant messaging protocolssuch as the AOL Instant Messenger™, or ICQ™. Group members may also chatvia audio channels. For example, a group member may speak into amicrophone attached to his gaming device. The group member's voice maythen be digitized, transmitted over the casino slot network, andconverted back to audio using a speaker at another group member's gamingdevice. Group members using personal computers may verbally communicateover the Internet using Internet phone technology such as that possessedby Net2Phone®. Group members may chat using email. Group members inphysical proximity may chat without electronic intermediation. There aremany other ways by which group members might chat.

One function of group formation in a casino setting may be for one groupmember to more easily find out when another group member beginsgambling. Thus, when a person inserts a player tracking card into agaming device 104, the gaming device 104 may notify the casino server102 of the person's identity. The casino server 102 may then consult thegroup database 210 to see whether the person is a member of any groups.If the person is a group member, then the casino server 102 sendsmessages or other indicators to the other group members indicating thatthe person is now gambling, available to chat, etc. In some embodiments,these messages may be sent only to other group members who arethemselves gambling, available to chat, etc.

In some embodiments, group members may view images or video feeds of oneanother. In some embodiments, a casino security camera may be trained ona first group member. Other group members may view the video feed of thefirst group member. In some embodiments each group member may have aportion of his gaming device's display screen devoted to video feeds ofother group members. In some embodiments, the video feed of a particulargroup member may become prominent on all group members'screens only whenthe particular group member has won a significant prize. For example,when Sam gets a “seven-seven-seven” in three-reel slots, the casinoserver 102 may direct the gaming devices 104, 106, 108 of the othergroup members to enlarge the video feed of Sam, so that the other groupmembers know Sam has won and can see his excitement. Similar embodimentsmay apply to still images of group members. For instance, when one groupmember wins, his still image may be shown to the others. In someembodiments, when a first group member chats with a second group member,the first may see a video feed (or still image) of the second, and viceversa.

In some embodiments, group members may be represented on each other'sdisplays as cartoon images (i.e. avatars) or symbols instead of by theirown images. In such embodiments, when a first group member chats with asecond, each may see the other's avatar speaking. When a first groupmember scores a win, the other group members may see the first groupmember's avatar do a little dance.

Group members may also see cartoon or other virtual representations ofeach other's gaming devices. For example, when John gets aroyal-straight-flush, Sarah sees a cartoon representation of John'sgaming device display. The cartoon shows pictures of the five cards,i.e. Ace of hearts, King of hearts, Queen of hearts, Jack of hearts, Tenof hearts.

5. Terminating the Linked Play According to the Group Format

In Step S5, the linked play session may end after a group objective hasbeen satisfied and/or achieved or once the linked play completesaccording to the group format. Thus, in some embodiments, linked playmay terminate, for example, after some predetermined time period, aftera predetermined number of handle pulls by each or all group members,once one or more group members have exhausted a certain number oftokens, once one or more members or the group as a whole has achieved agoal, once it is clear the group will not achieve a goal, once it isclear that one group member has won, or one group member has lost, onceone or more group members has obtained one or more predeterminedoutcomes, and/or once one or more group members has obtained one or morepredetermined symbols.

In some embodiments, arrangements or measures may be provided toaccommodate a group with a member who wishes to quit the group duringlinked play. For instance, a group member may not wish to make anyfurther wagers or the group member may be required to be somewhere else.The group member may wish to quit despite a designated group formatrequiring all group members to place a certain minimum number of wagers,to spend a certain amount of time gambling, etc.

Thus, when a group member quits a group, and informs the casino server102 that he is quitting, various measures may be taken as a result ofthe loss to the group. These measures may include allowing other groupmembers to substitute their own contributions for that of the lost groupmember. For example, where a group's objective involves achieving grosswinnings in excess of a certain threshold, if a group member quits, thenanother group member's winnings may be counted twice towards the groupgoal. An alternative solution might be for other group members to begiven more time to gamble towards the group goal.

An additional potential measure may include modifying the groupobjective. The group objective may be modified to be more suitable forthe remaining members of the group. For example, in a five-person group,where any two group members may split a bonus prize for attaining theoutcome of “orange-orange-orange” within one minute of one another, ifany one group members quits, it becomes more difficult for the others toobtain the bonus prize, since each remaining group member now only hasthree others with which to potentially split the prize. One way to makeup for the loss of the group member would be to allow any two groupmembers among the remaining four to win the bonus prize upon achieving“orange-orange-orange” within two minutes of one another rather thanwithin one minute. Another solution might be to increase the amount ofthe bonus prize.

An additional potential measure may include finding a new person toreplace the departing group member. The new person may or may not berequired to pay an entry fee for joining the group. The new person maybe taken from a “stand-by” list of people who had previously expressedinterest in joining the group, but had not been able to, or had not doneso.

An additional potential measure may include the casino reducing theprize that may be won by the group. The casino may reduce the prize forseveral reasons. First, it might be easier for the group to win theprize after a group member has left. For instance, if a group's goal isbased on net winnings, the goal might be smaller and thus, moreattainable with fewer people playing, since the odds in most games arein the casino's favor. Secondly, the casino is benefiting less from thegambling activities of the group, so may be able to justify only areduced prize.

An additional potential measure may include dissolving the group and anyentry fees may be fully or partially returned.

There are many other possible measures that might be taken if a groupmember quits. If a group member quits without informing the casinoserver 102 (either directly or via other group members), then measuresmay or may not be taken, depending on whether the quitting has benefitedthe group. Generally, if a group member's quitting has benefited thegroup, then the group member may not have satisfied some rule or rulesrequired as part of the group format. For example, if each group memberis required to make 1000 handle pulls during a session, and a groupmember quits after having made 600 handle pulls, then the group memberhas not met the requirements specified as part of the group format.Whether or not a quitting group member informs the casino server,various penalties may be levied against the group member or the group.These include reduced potential prizes, reduced chances at prizes,deductions of credits from a credit balance, etc.

In some embodiments, an entire group or a significant portion of a groupmay quit upon the agreement of one or more group members and there maybe a way for the group to settle with the casino. For example, if agroup is 80% of the way towards achieving an objective, but wishes toquit early, then the group may quit and receive, say, 50% of a prize.There are many other possible methods of settlement.

6. Determining Whether the Group Objective was Achieved

Once the group session has ended, the casino server 102 may thendetermine the outcome of the group session in Step S6. The casino server102 may determine the outcome by, for example, referring to the currentsession database 214 of FIG. 14, obtaining an aggregate group result,obtaining the description of the appropriate group objective from thegroup session database 212 of FIG. 13, and comparing the group result tothe group objective. If, for example, a group of five people was tryingto achieve net winnings of $100 in order to win a meal for each member,then the casino server 102 compares a tally of the group members' netwinnings to the threshold of $100. If the tally of net group winningsexceeds the threshold, then the casino server 102 may instruct eachgroup member's gaming device 104 to print a meal ticket in Step S7. Ifthe group play involved group members competing against one another fora prize pool, then the casino server 102 may determine the winning groupmember, and signal that group member's gaming device 104 to pay thewinner the amount of the prize pool in Step S7.

7. Awarding Prizes if the Group Objective was Achieved

Once the casino server 102 has determined the result of group play,including competitions, then, in Step S7, it may allocate prizes basedon the result. For instance, as suggested above, the winner among agroup whose members competed with one another for a prize pool wouldreceive the prize pool. The casino server 102 may refer to the groupsession database 212 of FIG. 13 in order to determine what prizes toaward, and how to distribute any prizes amongst the group members. Thecasino server 102 may then signal the gaming devices 104, 106, 108,(112, 114) operated by the winners among the group members to dispensethe appropriate prizes. Alternatively the winners may receive theirprizes at a location within the casino.

F. Example Illustrative Embodiments

The following very specific examples are provided to illustrateparticular embodiments of the present invention, particularly from theperspective of potential users of the system 100A, 100B includingplayers and casinos.

(a) Example 1

Walter and Brenda have been married for thirty-five years. At least oncea month, they visit a nearby casino together to play video poker. On oneparticular visit, Walter and Brenda sat down at adjacent video pokermachines and inserted their respective player tracking cards. Thedisplay screen on Brenda's machine then displayed a message for her. Itread:

-   -   Brenda, we'd like to welcome you and your husband back to our        casino. We notice you play here frequently together. How would        you and your husband like to try group play? The way it works is        simple. You play just as you did before. Only now, if both you        and your husband get a straight flush within one minute of each        other, you split a bonus payout of 1000 tokens! The payout for a        solitary straight flush is just a little lower, 40 tokens        instead of 50 tokens. Press the ‘accept’ button below if you        would like to commence group play. We will then ask your husband        if he wants to play. If he agrees, then you are all set.    -   Brenda liked the idea of group play. It would allow Walter and        her to work together in order to win. She talked over the        concept with Walter and then touched the “accept” button on her        display screen. Soon, Walter got a similar message to the one        Brenda had received, and he too touched “accept.” Brenda and        Walter then began playing.

Over the next several hours, there were several occasions when eitherWalter or Brenda achieved a straight flush. They hardly noticed theslightly smaller payout as the winner cheered the other on for the nextminute, hoping the other would also attain a straight flush. Althoughthey ended up not winning the bonus payout, both Walter and Brendaenjoyed the group excitement, and resolved to continue playing as agroup during subsequent visits to the casino.

(b) Example 2

Linda, Jane, Sue, and Mary were long time friends who enjoyed anoccasional group trip to the casino. The only drawback of going togetherwas that it always seemed one of them would have very good gamblingresults, and another would have bad results. They would thus leave thecasino in disparate emotional states. One day, Linda noticed a promotionin a mailing sent to her by the casino. The promotion said that severalpeople could join a play group to link their winnings together. Eachplay group member would put the same amount of money into a pool. Eachplay group member's wager would then come from the pool, and allwinnings would go into the pool. The pool would then be divided evenlyamong all group members at the end of a gaming session. In this way, ifone or two group members went on a lucky streak, all group members wouldshare in the luck.

Linda spoke to Jane, Sue, and Mary, and all agreed to form a play groupwith linked winnings. On their next drive up to the casino, they agreedon a group name: “Linked Destiny.” When each later sat down at herrespective slot machine, she selected a “group play” option from a menuon the touch screen of her slot machine. She then keyed in the name ofthe group she wanted to join, “Linked Destiny,” using a keypad displayedon the touch screen. After Linda, Jane, Sue, and Mary had keyed thegroup's name into their slot machines, each was given a list of theother group members, and asked to confirm that she wanted to join a playgroup with the others. Each confirmed. Then, each was asked to insert$100 into her gaming device, and each did so. Then play commenced.

After Linda had made a few handle pulls, she was pleased to see a smallwindow appear in the upper right hand corner of her display screen. Inthe window, Linda could see displayed how much money remained in thecommon pool. She also could see each of her friends' outcomes as theyoccurred. For instance, the display would flash the name “Mary” and showMary's outcome of “cherry-lemon-bell”. Then the display would flash“Jane” and show “bell-bell-plum”. Linda found play to be much moreexciting, as she now had four people's outcomes to follow rather thanjust her own.

Today was Sue's day to be lucky. She seemed to hit payout after payout.Although the others did not do as well, the common pool ended up at$480. Each left with a small profit of $20 due to Sue's good luck. Allwere in a good mood on the ride home.

(c) Example 3

A group of five people got together, each person was a dollar slotmachine player. Each member of the group contributed $20 to an initialwager placed with the casino. The group would then play for an hour, andif the group's net winnings for the hour exceeded $200, the wager wouldpay back $200 to each person. Each person would also keep any winningssustained at his machine during the one-hour session, and would absorbany losses.

(d) Example 4

Joe and Sam were two avid video blackjack players. They would alwaysargue about who had done better during a particular session. So one day,Joe and Sam decided to join a group for the purposes of competingagainst one another. As part of the group, Joe and Sam each agreed toplace a $15 wager to be held by the casino. At 8:00 pm, whoever hadnetted the most money, or lost the least money at video blackjack wouldwin the other's $15 wager. The only stipulation was that each had towager at least $1000 in total at video blackjack. The stipulation wouldprevent either Joe or Sam from stopping early and allowing the other tolose money due to the negative expected net winnings to be derived fromvideo blackjack.

Joe and Sam played vigorously throughout the day. When it got to be 8:00pm, both had lost more than $100. But Sam did not mind because he hadlost less than Joe, and so got to keep Joe's $15. There was no argumentabout whom was the victor.

(e) Example 5

An elderly couple from Stamford, Conn. traveled frequently to a nearbycasino. The couple was interested in meeting another couple fromStamford who also liked to gamble. Perhaps the two couples could travelto the casino together, and maybe also get together for lunch and a gameof bridge. On one visit to the casino, the couple registered for acompetition. The hour-long competition would be against another couple,to see which couple could hit the most payouts in excess of 20 tokens ata traditional three-reel fruit slot machine. The casino would buy lunchfor the winners at the casino restaurant.

When the couple registered for the competition they asked that thecasino server 102 match them with another couple, both aged 60 or older,who lived in Stamford, Conn., and enjoyed bridge. The casino was able tofind a match for them, and the competition ensued. The initiating couplelost the competition, but they were pleased to meet their opponents atthe restaurant later that day. The two couples soon became good friends,and from then on always traveled to the casino together.

(f) Example 6

Tony was on the Internet at his favorite casino Web site. Tony wasinterested in joining a group and having a chance of winning a groupprogressive prize. Tony therefore clicked a link that brought him to aWeb page listing the available groups. Next to each group was listed thesize of the progressive prize, and the amount required to join thegroup. Tony would be required to pay some money to join a group sincehis wagers had not yet contributed anything to the progressive prize.Tony saw one group of 100 people that had a progressive prize of $500and rising. Tony clicked on the link to join the group. He thenauthorized the deduction of $5 from his credit card account to join thegroup, and the $5 then went into the progressive pool. Tony authorizedthe deduction of another $100 from his credit card account in exchangefor 100 virtual casino tokens. Tony then began playing his favoritegame: video poker.

G. Additional Embodiments of the Invention

Group members may be distributed across multiple casinos. In someembodiments, a third-party server 110 may transmit and receivecommunications from individual casino servers 102. The third-partyserver 110 may track group information such as group members' names,financial account identifiers and locations. The third-party server 110may also track group statistics, such as net group winnings, individualgroup members' winnings, number of jackpots won by the group, etc. Inthis regard, the third-party server 110 may assume many of the functionsthe casino server 102 had in embodiments where all group members playedat a single casino. The third-party server 110 may transmit any groupinformation or statistics to the casino servers so that the informationmight be displayed to the group members at the gaming devices.Meanwhile, casino servers may continue to receive information from groupmembers and from group members' gaming devices, and pass the informationalong to the third-party server 110. Two group members at differentcasinos may chat with one another, for example, by routing a first groupmember's signal through the slot network of the first casino to thefirst casino server; by then routing the signal from the first casinoserver 102 to the third-party server 110; then from the third-partyserver 110 to the second casino server; and finally from the secondcasino server 102 through the slot network of the second casino to thesecond group member.

Where multiple group members play at different casinos with differentowners, it may be necessary for the casinos to split the cost of anyprizes given to the group. In some embodiments, any prizes awarded tothe group or to individual group members may be paid by eachparticipating casino in proportion to the number of group members thatwere playing at that casino. In some embodiments, each prize is paid bythe casino or casinos at which prize-winning outcomes were won. Forexample, the Slot Kings group may win a minivan if any two group membersachieve a jackpot outcome within one hour of one another. If two membersof the group playing at casino A achieve the jackpot outcome, thencasino A may be responsible for paying for the minivan. However, if onegroup member had been at casino A and the other at casino B, then thetwo casinos might split the price of the mini-van. Those skilled in theart will recognize that there are many other possible ways to determinehow to split the cost of the prize for a group among multiple casinos.

In some embodiments, a group member may be required to play at multiplecasinos in order to win a prize.

In some embodiments of the present invention, not all of the outcomes ofall of the group members are used to determine whether the group hasachieved the group objective. In some embodiments, only the outcomes ofthe most successful player or players may be used. In some embodiments,only the outcomes of the least successful player may be used. In someembodiments, only the outcomes that occurred during a specific timeperiod may be used.

Although the system of the invention has been described as one or moregaming devices 104, 106, 108 networked to a casino server 102, theinvention applies to other games and gaming environments. For example,the invention may be applied to table games, such as table poker andblackjack. In such embodiments, players may insert their player trackingcards into card readers corresponding to seats around, for example, apoker table. The casino server 102 could access group data and transmitthat data to a data terminal located at the dealer. The dealer couldthen communicate the relevant linked play information to the player.

In some embodiments of the present invention, as applied to table games,a dealer may manually provide many of the functions of a casino server.One challenge at table games involves tracking the results of playinggroup members, since the processing power and memory present in a gamingdevice 104 may not necessarily be available at a table game. In someembodiments, every time a group member achieves an outcome that countstowards a group objective, a casino employee may place a marker on thetable to represent the outcome. For example, a blackjack player belongsto a group that wins five sets of round-trip plane tickets to Las Vegasfrom anywhere in the United States, provided the group members canachieve 100 blackjacks amongst themselves in the span of an hour. Then,every time a group member achieves a blackjack, the dealer places aspecial chip in a circle marked on the table in front of the groupmember. At the end of an hour, the number of blackjacks the group memberhas achieved can be discerned from the number of special chips in thecircle in front of the group member.

In some embodiments, an electronic counter is affixed to the blackjacktable (or craps table, roulette table, etc.). Every time a group memberachieves an outcome of importance, the dealer may press a button on thecounter to increment the count of the number of outcomes attained by thegroup member. Alternatively, an electronic scanner may automaticallydetect outcomes achieved by a group member, and cause the electroniccounter to increment upon the attainment of such an outcome.

A single group member may game at multiple gaming devices, and have hisresults at each gaming device 104 count towards a personal or groupgoal. For example, if Sam and Henry wish to achieve “bell-bell-bell”within 10 seconds of one another, then Sam and Henry may improve theirchances by each playing three gaming devices at once. Perhaps thisallows them to increase their individual rates of play, when a rate ofplay is measured over three gaming devices instead of one. With highereffective rates of play, Sam and Henry are more likely to achieve“bell-bell-bell” within 10 seconds of one another.

Playing groups may gain an increased sense of camaraderie by wearingapparel tailored to the group. For example, group members may each weargroup hats or group T-shirts containing the name of the group. In somecases, group apparel might show the results of the group (e.g. the groupwon $500 in 2003). There might be group mugs, group key chains, andother group trinkets. Group members might each receive tracking cardsdisplaying special group colors, showing the name of the group, orotherwise indicating group membership. All group-related products mightbe provided by the casino as a benefit of group formation. Group relatedproducts might also be given out as prizes. The casino might also chargefor the products. One benefit of a playing group registering prior tovisiting a casino, is that the casino may have time to arrange for themanufacture of the items prior to group members' arrival at the casino.

One or more group members may be able to negotiate for certain benefitsto be given a group in exchange for the group's business at a particularmerchant. A group may negotiate for better odds at gaming devices,discounted rooms, discounted meals, discounted show tickets, increasedrates of complimentary points (comps), additional casino-sponsored groupprizes, and so on. For example, Sheryl might contact a casino server 102and mention that her playing group, The Casino Ladies, would beinterested in spending a weekend at the casino if each group membercould receive half price on her room. The casino, server might thengrant the half-priced rooms to each group member, in view of lowoccupancy rates, or in view of the group's heavy gambling in the past.In some embodiments one or more group leaders or representatives of thegroup receives a benefit in exchange for getting the other group membersto either come to the casino, to increase their quantity of gambling, orto otherwise increase their consumption at the casino.

A gaming device 104 typically includes one or more physical buttons foruse in issuing commands to the gaming device 104. For example, oneplastic button might indicate a bet of 1 coin, another plastic buttonmight indicate a bet of 2 coins, and a third plastic button might say“spin.” In some embodiments of this invention, the existing buttons on agaming device 104 may be used for alternative purposes. For example, abutton that is typically used to bet 3 coins may now be used to open achat line with group member number 3. Many other uses for buttons arepossible.

In some embodiments, a first group member may never know the identity ofanother member of his group. He might instead know only a screen name. Aperson in one group may never know the identity of a person in anothergroup against which his group is competing.

In some embodiments, a winner of a competition among group members mayget to keep all of the group's total net or gross winnings.

In some embodiments, a competition whose outcome is dependent in someway on a group member's amount of play may help the casino to increasethe group member's amount of play. For example, if the winner of acompetition is the person with the highest gross winnings, then a groupmember might be encouraged to make more wagers so as to have morechances to increase his gross winnings. This, in turn, may increasecasino profits.

In some embodiments, the casino server 102 may attempt to pair a slow(as measured by handle pulls per hour) and a fast player into a group.The casino server's 102 goal in doing so would be to allow the fasterplayer to influence the slower player to play more rapidly.

In some embodiments, the winner of a competition might be the group orthe group member who lasts the longest in the face of some adversecondition. Some exemplary adverse conditions may include fatigue, losingoutcomes, bankruptcy, poor statistics, and being voted out. In afatigue-based adverse condition embodiment, the winner is the groupmember who can physically gamble the longest. In a losing outcomes-basedadverse condition embodiment, group members may drop out of acompetition upon, for example, obtaining five losing outcomes in a rowand the winner is the last remaining group member. In a bankruptcy-basedadverse condition embodiment, groups or group members may be forced todrop out of a competition when they run out of money, or when they losea predetermined amount of money. In a poor statistics-based adversecondition embodiment, group members may be competing with one anotherfor a prize and, for example, the group member with the lowest netwinnings after a set time period may be dropped from the group. Thisprocess may repeat until only one group member, the winner, remains. Ina “being voted out”-based adverse condition embodiment, the group mayperiodically vote a member out of the group until just two membersremain. The last two members may then compete in a winner-take-all game.Alternatively, members previously “voted out” may vote to determine thefinal winner.

In some embodiments that include a competition between groups,individual group members may drop out periodically due to an adversecondition. At the end of a set time period, the group with the mostremaining members wins.

In some embodiments, one use of an audio communications channel betweencompeting group members or competing groups may be used for the purposeof trash talking. The casino server 102 may, however, censor any trashtalking, or any communication in general, using casino chat roomsfacilities or other casino sponsored communication means.

In some embodiments, a playing group may include a multi-day competitionamong group members, with a subset of the group members being eliminatedevery day. Those group members that remain at the end of each day mayreceive a free or discounted room at the casino's hotel for the night.Alternatively, group members who are eliminated may receive a free ordiscounted hotel room in order to encourage them to remain at the casinoeven after having been eliminated from competition.

In some embodiments where group members compete, one group member may beable to use defensive tactics to nullify another group member'sprogress. For example, Tim and Arthur are competing to see who gets themost payouts in excess of 20 coins. However, if Tim gets a shieldsymbol, Tim can hold onto it, and the next time Arthur gets a 20 coinpayout, Tim can use his shield symbol to stop the 20 coin payout frombeing counted for Arthur in the competition. There are many variationsto the use of defensive tactics. Perhaps Tim is not allowed to spinwhile holding the shield symbol. Perhaps Arthur can get another symbolthat protects him against the nullifying effects of the shield. In someembodiments, one group member might periodically be allowed to take asymbol from a second group member, even though the second group memberdoes not desire to give up the symbol. The symbol may help the firstgroup member, or its loss may hurt the second group member.

In some embodiments, group members can use their own symbols to helpother group members. For example, Sheila gets an outcome of: “Ah Kh QhJh 3d” at video poker. Meanwhile, Samantha is dealt a hand containingthe “10h” at her own video poker machine. Samantha may then give her“10h” to Sheila so that Sheila might complete her royal-straight-flush.The royal-straight-flush may or may not then win as much as it wouldhave had Sheila completed it on her own.

In some embodiments, group members may be required to make handle pullsduring a limited time window. For example, a group wins a prize based onits gross winnings between 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm. Thus, if a groupmember's gaming device 104 malfunctions, or when a group member's

Internet connection fails, the group member or the group may be put at adisadvantage. Therefore, in some embodiments, the casino server 102 maymaintain a record of when a group member's gaming device 104malfunctions, or when a group member's Internet connection fails. Forexample, the casino server 102 may receive a periodic signal from agroup member's gaming device 104 confirming that the gaming device 104is functional. If the casino server 102 does not receive the signalduring a time when the signal should have been sent, then the casinoserver 102 may conclude that the gaming device 104 has malfunctioned,and may record the time of malfunction in a log.

In some embodiments, a gaming device 104 might also actively indicatethat it has malfunctioned by sending a malfunction signal to the casinoserver. The casino server 102 may later record the time at which agaming device 104 has resumed function, as indicated by a resumption ofthe periodic signal from the gaming device. In some embodiments, when agroup member's gaming device 104 malfunctions, the group member may moveto a new gaming device 104 and resume play. The casino server 102 mayreceive the group member's identifier from the new gaming device 104 andrecord the time at which the group member has resumed play. A similarsystem may be used to detect when a group member has been disconnectedfrom the casino server's Web site. For example, the group member'spersonal computer may cease transmitting signals to the casino server'sWeb site, and resume once the group member has been reconnected.

Thus, in some embodiments, the casino server 102 may record a log ofwhen a group member has been unable to participate in the group activitydue to some kind of malfunction. The casino server 102 might thencompensate the group member or the group for lost activity. For example,the casino server 102 might allow one or more group members to gamble ata time outside of the originally designated time period, but have thegambling count towards group activity. In some embodiments, the casinoserver 102 may grant the group member or the group some number oftokens, points, symbols, etc., representing that which the group memberor group might have expected to achieve during the lost time. In someembodiments, the entire group may be required to start the group sessionfrom the beginning at a later time period. In still other embodiments,the group or group member may simply be given all or a portion of theprize he might have won had he not been cut off. However, in someembodiments, the casino server 102 may elect not to compensate the groupor group member for lost time if, for example, the group member is atfault.

In some embodiments, at the end of a group session, one or more groupmembers may receive a document, certificate, trophy, receipt or otherform of recognition as to the performance of the group or the groupmember. A group member may use such recognition, for example, to provethat he won a contest against another group member. Having the chance towin a contest against a friend and having the ability to prove the winmay motivate a person to gamble at a casino.

In some embodiments, a group or individual group members may be granteda form of insurance. For example, if each member of the group loses morethan $50 during a gaming session, the insurance is activated and eachgroup member receives $30 from the casino. The group may be grantedinsurance simply for agreeing to gamble at the casino. Alternatively,the group may be required to pay an insurance premium in order to havethe chance at receiving insurance.

In some embodiments, a group gambling session may occur over adesignated time interval, e.g. 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. However, each groupmember may have the option, or may be required to take one or morebreaks during the gambling session. For example, each group member maybe required to break for ten minutes during the interval of 11:00 am to12:00 pm. Each group member may then take the break during anyten-minute period within the hour-long interval. A group member may usethe break time, for example, to use the rest rooms, to obtainrefreshments, to walk around, and so on. Requiring all group members totake a break ensures that a group member who needs to use the rest roomfacilities, for example, is not at a disadvantage to someone who playsfor the entire session. In some embodiments, if a group member has nottaken a break during a session, and the time remaining in the session isequal to the length of the break, then the casino server 102 mayautomatically prevent the group member from participating for theremainder of the session.

In some embodiments, group members in competition with one another maytake breaks without being put at a disadvantage by setting up anautomatic gambling system. Such an automatic gambling system may beembodied as a program that may be executed on the gaming device 104. Forinstance, a group member who needs to take a break may be able to keyinstructions into his gaming device 104 that causes the gaming device104 to continue generating outcomes at the rate of 20 per minute untilthe group member returns to the machine.

In some embodiments, the casino may provide certain benefits to groupmembers to better facilitate social interaction. For instance, thecasino may provide group members with adjacent hotel rooms and/or thecasino may reserve adjacent gaming devices for group members. The casinomay also reserve blocks of adjacent seats at a show, adjacent tables atrestaurants, seats at the same gaming table, etc., for members of asingle group.

In some embodiments, a player device, such as a wireless PDA, may beused to invite a player to a linked play-enabled gaming device 104 andit may alert the gaming device 104 to the player's proximity using, forexample, a wireless protocol (such as Bluetooth as described athttp://www.bluetooth.com/dev/specifications.asp). Once identified, ausers' information may be automatically transferred to the gaming deviceand log him into group play. By merely approaching an enabled gamingdevice, the player's device could trigger the gaming device 104 toconfigure itself to support the player's current group play session. Insome embodiments, a cell phone/PDA may be used to track and record theplayer's performance and winnings information for a given linked playsession.

In some embodiments, a remote group member may log onto a casino server102 directly, bypassing any third-party server 110. Alternatively, aplayer could log onto a gaming device 104 directly, bypassing the casinoserver 102.

In some embodiments where one group member is waiting for another toachieve an outcome, the group member may have to pay in order to wait.For example, one group member might have “orange-orange-orange” andmight be waiting for another group member to achieve“orange-orange-orange.” The group member who is waiting might have topay 2 coins for every handle pull he waits. Payment for waiting may alsobe required where a first group member is waiting for a second groupmember to achieve a symbol that might be passed to the first groupmember.

It is clear from the foregoing discussion that the disclosed systems andmethods to facilitate linked gaming represents an improvement in the artof electronic commerce and gaming. While the method and apparatus of thepresent invention has been described in terms of its presently preferredand alternate embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize thatthe present invention may be practiced with modification and alterationwithin the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The specificationsand drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative ratherthan a restrictive sense.

Further, even though only certain embodiments have been described indetail, those having ordinary skill in the art will certainly appreciateand understand that many modifications, changes, and enhancements arepossible without departing from the teachings thereof. All suchmodifications are intended to be encompassed within the followingclaims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for providing notification duringan online casino game, comprising: initiating a first gameplay sessionof the online casino game, the first gameplay session associated with afirst user and defined by gambling activity by the first user;initiating a second gameplay session of the online casino game, thesecond gameplay session associated with a second user and defined bygambling activity by the second user independent of the gamblingactivity by the first user, the gambling activity by the second userbeing not linked to group gameplay, at least part of the second gameplaysession occurring simultaneously with the first gameplay session; inresponse to initiating the second gameplay session, determining, by aserver, whether the first user and the second user are members of acommon group having a group gaming objective, and if so, then displayinga message to the first user during the first gameplay session, themessage to the first user identifying availability of the second user toestablish a group gameplay session defined to link the gambling activityby the first user and the gambling activity by the second user so thatoutcomes of the gambling activity by the first and second users will becombined to achieve the group gaming objective, the method beingexecuted by a processor.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the messageidentifies availability of the second user for a chat session.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the message includes an avatar associatedwith the second user.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprisingdisplaying a message to the second user during the second gameplaysession, the message to the second user identifying the first user. 5.The method of claim 1, wherein a first device is associated with thefirst user, and wherein a second device is associated with the seconduser; and wherein one or more of the first device or the second deviceis selected from a cellular phone, a hand-held computer, a touchscreendevice, or a personal digital assistant.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein determining whether the first user and the second user aremembers of a common group includes accessing a group database, the groupdatabase members of one or more groups, each of the one or more groupsbeing registered for linked gameplay between the members of the group.7. A method for providing notification during an online casino game,comprising: initiating a first gameplay session of the online casinogame, the first gameplay session associated with a first user anddefined by gambling activity by the first user, the gambling activity bythe first user being not linked to group gameplay; initiating a secondgameplay session of the online casino game, the second gameplay sessionassociated with a second user and defined by gambling activity by thesecond user independent of the gambling activity by the first user, thegambling activity by the second user being not linked to group gameplay,at least part of the second gameplay session occurring simultaneouslywith the first gameplay session; in response to initiating the secondgameplay session, determining, by a server, whether the first user andthe second user are members of a common group having a group gamingobjective, and if so, then forwarding a message to the first user duringthe first gameplay session, the message to the first user identifyingavailability of the second user to establish a group gameplay sessiondefined to link the gambling activity by the first user and the gamblingactivity by the second user so that outcomes of the gambling activity bythe first and second users will be combined to achieve the group gamingobjective, the method being executed by a processor; wherein a firstdevice is associated with the first user, and wherein a second device isassociated with the second user; and wherein one or more of the firstdevice or the second device is selected from a computer, or a cellularphone, or a hand-held computer, or a touchscreen device, or a personaldigital assistant.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the messageidentifies availability of the second user for a chat session.
 9. Themethod of claim 7, wherein the message includes an avatar associatedwith the second user.
 10. A method for providing a notification to afriend during an online casino game, comprising: initiating a firstgameplay session of the online casino game, the first gameplay sessionassociated with a first user and defined by gambling activity by thefirst user, the gambling activity by the first user being not linked togroup gameplay; initiating a second gameplay session of the onlinecasino game, the second gameplay session associated with a second userand defined by gambling activity by the second user independent of thegambling activity by the first user, the gambling activity by the seconduser being not linked to group gameplay, at least part of the secondgameplay session occurring simultaneously with the first gameplaysession; in response to initiating the second gameplay session,determining, by a server, whether the first user and the second user aremembers of a common group having a group gaming objective, and if so,then forwarding a message to the first user during the first gameplaysession, the message to the first user identifying availability of thesecond user to establish a group gameplay session defined to link thegambling activity by the first user and the gambling activity by thesecond user so that outcomes of the gambling activity by the first andsecond users will be combined to achieve the group gaming objective, themethod being executed by a processor; a first device is associated withthe first user, and wherein a second device is associated with thesecond user, and one or more of the first device or the second device isselected from a computer, or a cellular phone, or a hand-held computer,or a touchscreen device, or a personal digital assistant, the messageincludes an avatar image associated with the second user.
 11. The methodof claim 10, wherein the message identifies availability of the seconduser for a chat session.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the messageincludes an avatar associated with the second user.